


Write of my soul, while I dress you

by Windy_Soul



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Awkwardness, Chloé is not 'bad' here, F/M, Fluff, Fluuuuuff, Humor, I REALLY like to mix up things XD, MORE past angst!, Marichat (kind of), Miraculous AU, Original Character(s), Romance, Régis Dumont is Gorilla's name (in my fanfics!), Teasing, The only magic is love, adrienette - Freeform, maybe more tags in future, no magic, past angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-11
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-08-30 08:45:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 24,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8526553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Windy_Soul/pseuds/Windy_Soul
Summary: Marinette is trying to achieve her dream: become an independent brand, selling her creations that born from her original designs.But when she received an opportunity like... THAT... she couldn't say no.A new 'Miraculous Ladybug AU'! This time the only magic that you'll see... is the love (>wO)/***





	1. Chapter 01

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So, basically, this time is a 'Special release', because is a gift for a very special person.  
> This person inspired me one of the characters, so is kind of dedicated to.
> 
> And since you don't want to be known, I'll only say... Happy Birthday!!!!
> 
>  
> 
> So, a new story... again. XD  
> Don't worry, since this is a 'special release' you'll have to wait only until the 15/11... I'll post a new chapter of "RF&FH"
> 
> ... I just realized that my titles are always so long... XD  
> Sorry, I'm not so good with that. (^///^)"
> 
>  
> 
> So! Like always: english is not my first language, hope you all like my story aaaand...
> 
> HAPPY READING!!! (=0w0=)

“Are you kidding me?” he asked almost sputtering his own drink.

 

The dark-raven haired girl shook firmly her head “I'm telling you the truth: we are gonna work for the real same person!” she said taking another sip of her hot cocoa drink. The dark skinned guy look at her with questioning eyes “Wait! Weren't you who said: I'm never gonna work with my friends or family, because it could be a distraction for me. I need to concentrate on my own tasks without worring of my, very close, dearest ones-”

 

“Okay, okay, you have right: I was the one saying that, aaaaall the time... but this time we are talking about Chat Noir. CHAT-GREAT-NOIR! I can't let myself off of this wonderful opportunity, right?”

 

 _'Truly, I can't let this opportunity down even if the world is gonna break just tomorrow morning!'_ she thought rummaging in her red, pink dotted, purse. She took out her tablet and rush it under the nose of her friend “Read here. I'm gonna be his personal designer **and** consultant about fashion and public apparence. There will still be his personal manager/public relationship consultant and someone else who is gonna working on his most interviews and covers, TV shows and other things like that... so, basically, I'm gonna work in a very strictly team... like some kind of 'Chosen'... isn't awesome?”

 

The guy took another sip on his fruity drink “Yeah, yeah, whatever... at the end of it I'll be the one with bruises and scratches and your 'Writer-prince' will still be flawless... well, at least I'm gonna, finally, work with you... so I can take an eye on you too” he giggled triumphantly.

 

“Nino! Your work is gonna be his personal bodyguard... you can't let your attention down only because I'm around: he's the client, not me!” he shrugged “Whatever, I'm still gonna do like I want. Don't worry, your sweet potatoe are gonna be okay, until I'm around him... but I'll look at you too, like that. For me is a victory, anyway”

 

“Nino, you're overprotective, like always. I'm gonna be fine, I promise you!” he gives her a cold glare “Yeah, like the stalkerish red one? What was his name, now? Lia-?” “Don't you dare!” she said almost immediately. He put his drink down on the table and goes on with his point “No, I dare, Mari! He was really dangerous. I'm sorry for Nath, because basically we put his only brother in jail, but he was with me in that! Liam was a very nightmare to you and you almost-” “I get it!” she said interrupting him again.

 

He sighed aloud “Listen, Mari... I'm happy for you. A new job, new revenue for your projects and one more step on the achievement of your dream...” he gives her a kind look and she relaxed the tension in her shoulders “But! You are still a pretty girl, you know that I mean it, and I love you like my younger sister that i never had-” “How romantic, you are!” she giggled.

 

He scoffed for being interrupted again, but smiled anyway “Yup! I'm a romantic man. I adore you and... kind of accepted Chloé for what she is: your friend” she rolled her eyes “Again: what I want to say is... you're a beautiful young woman, talented and indipendent for almost anything... except for the reach of the highest things: you're still too short” he giggled while reciving a little punch on his shoulder from his friend. Then he comes back in his seriousness “Sorry, wanted to light the tension. What I was saying is that it's not the first time that someone, uhmm, 'kind of famous'?... flirt with you in... a 'not-so-kind' way, okay?” she was there to say something but he continued “Listen, if we didn't take the 'Chloé incident' in the list, from when you started to work like an intern for Agreste's brand, you were almost shoved in bed by, at least, three models and two interns... without counting Liam, of course...”

 

She was still drinking on her hot cocoa, when a cold shiver runs trough her spine-back. All this talking about Liam made her feel pretty bad “I... sigh... I can see your point, Nino. And that's why I took your suggestion and started to attend a Krav-maga's class. I'm pretty cool, right now, and sure I can kick some ass at this point of my learning” he smirked at her “I'm not doubting on it... just, what I want to say, is... be careful. Being a personal... 'anything'... mean that you are gonna spend many time with a man that... pratically no one has ever seen before... you see, now, where I want to go, with all this... 'lecture'?”

 

She look at him and nodded seriously to Nino.

 

“Good! Now, since that **this** is settled... tell me about this 'Writer-prince' who I'm gonna protect from all the evil girls/scaring fans of him...” and took his drink again, giving a big gulp before leaning to the table, listening to his best friend.

 

°-°-°-°-°-°

 

The blond girl was standing in front of the monitor, trying to catch all kind of informations that she could gathering about this very misterious guy. He was a famous writer, but his face were no where to be found. He was quite reserved, and this didn't was good for his sponsoring. His pen-name was 'Chat Noir' and she was sure to have heard of this name before. She never was a great reader, she prefers movies and fancy parties instead of curling in her big couch, covered in blankets and plushies, drinking something while reading books like another someone that she knows pretty well.

 

She sighed aloud, letting her head dangling back, looking at the ceiling in attempt to have some kind of illumination.

 

_'I need to do this for my career! I need this opportunity, I can't waste it! Plus, I'm gonna work with other people, so I can't really arrive without a single notions about... whatever!'_ she thought, massaging her temples with her middle fingers. She needed a pause, and she needed now.

 

She stood from her rolling-chair and goes to her personal corner-bar.

 

She took out a big glass, decorated with elegant pink glitter designs. It was almost childish... almost. But was an important gift from her best friend and she was never gonna throw that away. She filled it with ¾ of soda and ¼ of cherry alchol. She didn't like to drink too much, but sometimes you need a little spring in this kind of work. She was still pondering about her new proposal of job, when an ephipany struck her mind.

 

_'Of course I had seen that name before!'_ she thought while running on her personal bookshelf in her big office.

 

She must to admit: one of the biggest privilege of being the daughter of the ex-Mayor of Paris, was that you can have a really big help for reaching your own dream. Sure, she was fighting, in those past year and half, for getting that point of succes. And she really fought for her place, while arguing and battling those old craps who didn't thought she could do it. Now, she was the chief of one of the biggest point of informations around Paris. The 'Chloé's Biggest News of Paris' (or CBNP) were a very big journalist building, slitting to the sky, with its own twenty-five floors. And the best part of being the boss? You can have the last floor and the roof all for yourself.

 

Her best friend wasn't so lucky: she was starting from zero and she never wanted (any kind of) help from her. The blonde wasn't on the same opinion. She admired the young designer, but still couldn't understand why she never wanted a hand.

 

Anyway, what really was important, right now, was searching for that damn book that... “Find it!” she shouted out loud. She took a big book from the highest shelf. It was filled with dust even if, by only a look, it was kind of clear that that was still new and never opened...  _'Well, maybe I flipped a page or two...'_ she thought with a bit of guiltyness.

 

_'Now I'm really gonna hear her for that!'_ she thought while grabbing her phone and started to search in to her contacts. When a smiling face of a young girl, with raven hair and blue eyes, comes in her view she pressed to the green phone's icon and started the call.

 

_Tuu-tuu... Tuu-tuu... Tuu-tu-click!_

 

_[[“Chloé? What do you need? I thought you said you were filled with your work and got stuck in your office...”]]_

 

A soft sounds of dishes and chatting made her thought that, maybe, her friends were still at the Café. The blond woman sighed “And that's where I am... but seems like my job included a really fitting session of your... uhmm... knowledge”

 

_[[“... Oh... okay?... What do you need?”]]_

 

Chloé sighed again, because now she was obligated to listen to her endless praises about this misterious writer.

 

“I need to.. urgh... I need you about a certain 'Writer-prince'... you know: the one that Nino use to make jokes to you and the one who you really adore from head to toe... I need your notions about Chat Noir...”

 

There was a moment of big and awkward silence before the young journalist spoke again “Hey, Mari?... are you still there?”

 

_[[“...uhmm... yeah, I'm here, but... ehmm... Chlo... I think you really need to reach me and Nino here”]]_

 

°-°-°-°-°-°

 

Chloé was just entering the little Café, when her nose were filled with scent of papers and treats. It was not her type of local, but she had to admit: it was really calming and... warm.

 

A tall girl, with short-red hair and blue eyes, stood in front of her in the moment she closed the door “Welcome! This is _The Miraculous_ and I'm Tikki, how can I help you?” The blonde frowned a little “Tikki?” she didn't intend to said it out loud, and surely she was raised better than that (like commenting on other people's names), but she was not in some kind of fancy party or borign reunions with her staff... so she let herself go without even thinking about it.

 

The young woman giggled “It's a nickname. We all choose one here, so we can be more friendly with the customers without putting them (or us) in some kind of awkward situations...” she shrugged a little “Not my idea, but the owner's one, he said it's all a matter of mind...” when another waitress, with short-blond hair and one single long fine braid, bumped Tikki's arm, she kind of comes back from that topic “Anyway! Are you alone? Did you need a table?”

 

The journalist scoffed her hair back from her neck and darted a look to the tables “... actually... I'm here to see friends of mine... they must be somewhere around here...” she said while already searching for them. The red-hair smiled “Can I help you? How are they?” Chloé look at the woman in front of her “One is a girl, dark hair, probably with something ridiculously pink, but fashionable for sure... the other is a big, stupid, guy, with dark skin and, I can bet my wallet, with some stupid cap!”

 

Tikki giggled again “I think I get it, you must be Chloé, right?” the blonde look at her with suspicious eyes, but the red one shrugged still smiling “I did tell you: we are allowed to be more friendly with customers here, plus... Mari is a kind of... old affectionate customer, so we know her pretty well... follow me” she said giving her a wink.

 

 _'Okay, maybe I understimate the 'friendly-thing' that she mentioned now... strange Café...'_ she thought while following the young waitress through the tables and bookshelfs. The best thing of that place, according to Marinette of course, was their large quantity of books and board games. The Café was 'old style' with many exposed wood beam ceiling, dark-wooden tables and chairs, warming lights and a long, big, wooden counter like the ones you can see in the western movies. A big stone fireplace were on the wall, surrounded by couches and little, short, tables. It was really like... home. The feeling were pretty welcoming and surely, like the waitress said, talking directly with them in those friendly way, make all more warming, like a long distant family that you didn't see from long time.

 

 _'Now I get it, why this place it's Mari's favourite'_ she thought, while catching a glimpse of something pink in the distance _'I knew it!'_ she thought smiling to herself.

 

Just few more steps and they were on the right table. The red-hair greeted Marinette “Hey, Mari, I brought here your friend! Like you said: she's very direct in her thoughts” she winked again “Anyway, I leave you here the Menu, if you don't get something, you can call us anytime. For all the things, since you're new here, I think you can relate on Marinette. Sorry, I need to go, I have to cover for my colleague, bye!” and she sped away.

 

Chloé took a seat “Okay... that was... strange?” but the dark-haired woman giggled “She's pretty busy today, even if sometimes she lost in her own explanations... you know, half of the staff as got flu and now they need to double their work” she took a sip of her drink. The blond journalist opened the menu “What does she mean when she said 'for all the things, since I'm new'?” she flipped the pages, going straight on the drinks section.

 

Marinette took a little, unnoticed by Chloé, plastic card. There was two sections: the top one was green, the bottom one was red. Then, she took a long, thin, little metallic stake, attached on a little, heavy, wooden base. At the top of the steak there was a little, metallic, alligator clip. Then, she clipped the card on the red side, leaving the green up. “Like this, mean that we can be 'disturbed' by the waiters” she said “Mean that we are not doing something important and they can always come to us for asking what we want, if we are okay, or simply for chatting a little with us...” the blonde look at Nino with questioning eyes and he shrugged “... if we flip upside down and let the red part up, mean that we don't want to be interrupted. Maybe we are reading, playing something or, simply, are talking about something important and we don't want to be disturbed”.

 

Chloé were there to say something, but Marinette added before she spoke “Of course, you can always order something, even if the card is red... means only that **you** decide when you want to talk to others... clear? Plus, if you know this rule (and if you come here more than once, you'll know it) you know even when other customers didn't want to be talked... I mean, if Nino was here with the red half up, I didn't bothered him from the start... I think it's a great idea, don't you?”

 

Nino and Chloé shared a look and giggled softly to the enthusiasm of the girl. “W-what? I think it's a great idea!” she said, while gulping down the rest of her hot drink. Chloé was the firt to talk “Yeah, I must to admit that it's a quite clever idea... all this place is a pondered choice, the owner must be a really wise guy... at least he's got a really good thought about buisness and Cafés..” Marinette rolled her eyes “You always think about work and buisness relationships, right?” the blond one shrugged “Can you blame me? I'm a woman in career, if I don't stay on the top I risk to fall-”

 

“Anyway” Nino interrupted “We were not laughing about this place, we were only... uhmm... thinking about your big passion in the things that you love, that's all” he said ending his drink too. Chloé made a little grimace, sticking out her tongue to the boy. Then, turning her attention to the menu again. After five minutes Tikki returned on their table for more orders. Chloé was quickly and blunt “One big 'Supercoffee' and another two drinks for my friends... I'm not gonna drink alone” the red-head giggled and nodded “Sure, so what do you want, now?” she asked to the other two.

 

Marinette looked at Nino and he nodded knowingly “Two 'Special Fruit', red for me and purple for him” she said. Tikki wrote everything on the paper “Anything else?” and her gaze darted kindly on Chloé who was stealing glances on the treats section of the menu. The dark-haired girl must have sensed, because she quickly added “You know, Chlo, the treats here are really delicious! And if I say that, you know it's true”.

 

The blonde rise her eyes on her friend, then she swift her gaze on the waitress “What's that... 'Spring kisses'?” she asked. A big smile grown up on Tikki's face “Actually... that is a very good treat... it's my favourite... it's cherries, filled with marzipan and honey, soaked in a sugar water syrup and covered in pink and red grains of sugar.” she explained. But now Chloé was curious “And the 'Hot spring kisses'?” “They are the same things... but instead of cherries soaked in sugar water syrup, they are soaked in cherry alchol” the eyes of the blonde started to gleam “Then, I really need the 'hot' ones! Bring me a double portion!”

 

The red one giggled again, nodded and goes, leaving the three friends alone.

 

“Now, while we wait for our orders, you have to explain me why you said that I 'really need to reach you two'... you could have told me by the phone... don't misunderstand me, I'm happy to see you...” her gaze went to the boy “... aaaand you... kind of... I bear you...” the young man shrugged “The feeling is mutual, in that way... at least I don't hate you” the blonde smiled “Thanks, I don't hate you too... anyway, Mari...” and her attention focused again on the dark-haired girl.

 

“I know that you are a very big fan of this author 'Chat Noir' and I need all the informations you can gather to me, because... okay, it's a secret, but I'll said it to you anyway... uff, hang on it, girl... I'm gonna be...-” “The one who is gonna be the responsible of his 'public image' on the media and covers” she was interrupted by her dark-haired friend “And... you are gonna work with a really stricktly team” Chloé were to said something else, but were stopped again, this time by Nino “And this team, and team only, are allowed to meet this misterious writer. No one is allowed to say anything about this job, I mean, anything that could be connected with the real identity of this 'Mr. No-one'.”

 

The journalist was on the verge to shout something from the shock, but were interrupted ( _'Really? What's going on, today?'_ she thought) by Tikki, with their orders. “Here! Let me know if you need anything else, okay? Enjoy your meals!” she chirped and leaved again.

 

Chloé grabbed quickly the card on the table and pin it on the clip, letting the red part high and visible. “Okay, now you have to explain me: what's going on? Who said that to you two? Where did you listen to all of this?” she started to ask, taking out her paper-block and her lucky pen (another gift from Mari, of course). The other two shared a little gaze before starting to laugh.

 

Marinette took out her tablet again and slided it under the nose of her friend “I suppose that this contract can made it all clear... that's why I invited you two here, this evening... I wanted to celebrate my new, fantastic, job!” then Nino added “But I anticipated her, telling that even me had a great news: I find a new job, or I should say, a new customer...” the blonde look at him, letting her eyes leaving for a second the little screen “Are you meaning that...?” he smiled even more “Yup! I'm gonna be the personal bodyguard of this misterious 'Writer-prince'... when you say, the destiny, right?” and he winked taking his first sip of his new drink.

 

“So, basically... we all are gonna work for the same person?” she asked. The guy nodded “That's right! And, can I suppose, that your request comes... uhmm... quite suspicious to you too?” Nino asked, stealing a little cherry from Chloé's plate, reciving a very cold glare from the last one.

 

“It was not suspicious!” Marinette said, interjecting the question “Well... almost... I mean, he need to mantain his own privacy and anonymity, so... I suppose it's not very strange to deliver the contract directly to the interested ones... and asking them to meet all togheter, the next week, in an old building, far from the centre of the city, without saying anything to anyonnnee-eeeokay, this **could** be a little suspicious!” Marinette admitted to herself and her friends.

 

“Well” said Chloé “This are not gonna stop me from this new job! I mean, it's a really great occasion, rich of mistery and full of possible scoops... I can't let this opportunity down, my inner-journalist is gonna kill me if I say 'no'!” Nino smiled, while munching on his new cherry “Yeah, dude! I'll be a complete fool to waste an opportunity like that! The payment is really high and, finally, I can work with Mari... now I only need a girlfriend and my life is complete” he said.

 

Chloé scoffed “Yeah, dream on it... I can't think of someone who want to spend the rest of her life... with you...” he fake-coughed “Excuse me? I'm a really great partner! I can be really protective with my special-one... and romantic... and serious... and kind!” she grinned at him “Suuuure... that before or after being sure that Mari is all right? Your problems with the girls is not your personality... but your true 'big-brother' nature... your future girlfriend need to know, from the start, that you are such an overprotective kind of man toward your 'sister'... that sometimes they could be your 'second choice'... that's your problem with the women” and she took a big sip from her drink.

 

He whisper-grumbled with a big pout “Maybe! Or maybe, I still didn't found the right girl!”

 

“Guys... can we come back on the real, important, topic of this evening?” Marinette said.

 

Chloé nodded, placing her block, open, in front of her, pen in hand, ready to write “Sure! So, first of all: how did you find out that he's a man?”

 

Marinette took a big sip from her drink. Then she shrugged and said with completely innocence “I've never found out!” and turned her attention on her juice, again.

 

Two pair of eyes look at her with dibelief. There was few moments of silence and shock before the sound turned back on their table.

 

“W-what??!!” her friends shouted out loud in perfect unison.

 

Nino hide his face in hands murmuring something like “All the lectures for nothing” followed by a firmly affermation “Wait! Even women can be dangerous!” while Marinette was giggling to his inner turmoil.

 

“Wait! Are you saying that you are not even sure if this great writer... is a male or female?” Chloé exclaiming out loud “B-but you were always so clear on your statement... that, it didn't count who he must be, you'll always love him and his works!” Marinette giggled “And I still thought like that... it didn't care if he's a male or she's a female one... I'll always love his works... so I'll always love his mind that give birth to those marvelous stories!” she said simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

 

Nino snorted “Damn, Mari, only you could had been so crazy to think like that!” and stealed another cherry from Chloé's plate. But this time, the blond reacted “Hey! You thief! If you want goods, go and buy it!” he snikered while dropping his new stalk on the table “But, like this, they are even better... the taste change, if I goes and buy new ones, they will taste differently, so... no, thanks, I prefer to steal” and he was almost there, on his fourth cherry, when a dangerous fork darted from where it was lying, almost stabbing his poor hand.

 

“Hey! I need this hand for work, you know?” he said “Well, it's the risk of this job... the stealing, I mean... could always being traps and guards ready to stab at you and your hands!” she said coldly. He pouted to the blonde “You're a cruel queen, miss 'I'm-the-chief-of-one-of-the-biggest-news-media'!” Nino joked and then, munched on another cherry in his other hand.

 

Chloé opened wide her eyes “Just.. when, how...? Ugh! Fine! Just, take whatever you want!” she said in defeat, letting her plate in the centre of the table.

 


	2. Chapter 02

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa! I'm really stressed lately!
> 
> Anyway, luckily I was in a good mood for my stories! (=0w0=)  
> Hope you'll like it!
> 
> Happy reading!  
> (>w0)/***

They chatted for hours in that Café, talking about anything and nothing, before leaving it and started to walk on the road back home.

 

The three of them were struck together like penguins for not becoming little ice cubes from the coldness of that winter night. Chloé was the first to talk “So... I suppose it was a little useless asking you something about a person that never leaved a single detail about him/her behind” she said scoffing.

 

Marinette nodded “I'm sorry, Chlo, seems like Chat really wanted to remain a big secret to anyone” and the journalist turned her face on her “Yeah, but... why now? I mean, why he/she need a team for doing his/her debut, if he/she is already famous with all that mistery around? Why Chat want to expose him/her-self so bad, risking to let behind more than a simple _Nom de Plume_?... It doesn't make sense!”

 

Nino interjected “Please! Stop doing all that 'his/her' thing... it's giving me headache! Just call him Chat or use only one gender. I can't follow you well with all that 'slash' in your phrases” the blonde shrugged giving him a 'whatever' look “It's your problem, not mine. But I'll follow your suggestion, only for a more pratical conversation...”

 

Marinette giggled and said “Anyway, I think that all this thing it wasn't Chat's idea...” Chloé raised an eyebrow “What do you mean?” the dark-haired woman shrugged “It's like some kind of scenes that appear in his stories... seems like it wasn't there in his original plot... but someone suggested him to add it and he does it” she said lowering her voice “And that is really sad...”

 

Chloé's journalist instinct hit her all at once “You mean that... he could be a person that can't say 'no' to the others?” Marinette sighed “I think that he's too kind to say 'no' to the others... it's different”. Nino took few step ahead, placing himself in front of the girls “Wait! If this is true, my work is gonna be **really** difficult! How can I be a good bodyguard if he's constantly accepting the request of his fans and, despite my warnings, he start to go here and there?” he groaned “Never a simple job, right?”

 

Chloé scoffed to him “You always complain. If that was true he were already discovered, don't you think so? No, I think there's something different behind... Mari said that he add scenes from his original plot-” “It's just a supposition!” the dark-haired added immediately “Whatever!” the blond said going on with her thought “Maybe there is someone important behind all of that... why risking now?... and why still all this secrecy? Like... Dott. Jakyll and Mr. Hide... he want to be known, but didn't want to be discovered... he need a team, but he call us in this 'anonymus office', far away from the centre of the city... like... he want to see us in person before letting us to know exactly who he is, even if it was him that choose us in the first place... or maybe not?... and... think of it: it must be a coincidence, but... we know each other... all three of us... we already know that we can work well together, because we are friends from old school's time and we already worked together (even if in different situations), so... seems like he did done many research on us!” Chloé was lost in her out loud thoughts and her friends shrugged at each other, letting her going on with her deductive reasoning.

 

_'Guys... you're soo simple... there's something more there... I can tell!... There's too many things that do not fit together'_ she thought to herself.

 

Then she turns on her heels and looked at her friends “Well, guys, I need to take one more thing from my office and then I go straight home. Thanks for your input, Mari. I suppose that we see each other tomorrow, right? For lunch?” she asked smiling. Marinette nodded and, before she could say anything else, Chloé added “Ah! And we **really** need to talk more about this 'secret office' and our future jobs... I'll call you both for giving you the day and the hours... Tomorrow is only for simple gossip between friends, allright?” she winked to the dark-haired girl. “Well, goodnight, then!” and she trotted away in, almost too, cheerful way.

 

Nino took a look to the blond and snorted “Well, Mari, I think that she has right: we need to be prepared for the great event. I'll take you home and then I go to sleep too, tomorrow I have to explain to my grandma why I'm gonna be scarce again from the next week and on” Marinette nodded with a smile.

 

°-°-°-°-°-°

 

The big room was silently quiet.

 

Not a single sound was disturbing, excepting for the outdoor's movings. The silent were interrupted only by few leaves, carried by the wind, that were crushing on the glass of the big window. A deep sigh cut that atmosphere like it was solid butter.

 

“So... next week, right?” the blond man asked, while leaning on his king sized bed.

 

He was never really proud of his excessive comfort and whealth before, but he had to admit that sometimes it comes to hand. He, really, never needed all that space for sleeping, in fact, in his old long childhood years, he often grabbed one pillow, his big warming blanket, and darted to the big long couch that was in his room and slept there instead. But, in those three past years he found pretty comfortable leaning on the bed like now. All around him, papers and books, filled with notes and hints; his right hand were holding tight a long polish black pen, with two little ears at the bottom and a cute paint of a cat's face on one side (a gift from his best, and only, friend). Being so, relaxed like that, with all his loved books around, taking a nap when he needed it, surrounded by the scents of ink and papers... well, that was heaven for him.

 

The red-haired girl, that was observing out from the big window of his room, turned her head for looking at him. She raised an eyebrow “What do you mean? Please, explain to me, I can't read in your mind, right?” she asked with mirth. The young man chuckled, rising his left arm that was hiding his face, revealing a piercing green eyes under it “I was talking about my 'great-reveal-not-reveal-p.s.-you-need-a-team-no,thanksdad-yes,youneedit-okay-whatever' plan...”

 

The young woman giggled, turning completely to him, grabbing her tablet from her side and adjusting her glasses on her nose “Yeah, sure, let me check... here: next Monday. I still didn't receive any confirmation from anyone of them for the meeting, but I'm sure that they will respond pretty soon... scary?” she asked deviously.

 

The young man stood up from his bed, assuming a sitting position “... maybe?” and he growled in low tone “Argh! Damn it! Remember me: why did I say yes to my father, again?”. The red-haired girl gently dropped the tablet on the nearset desk and started to walk toward him “Because, Adrien, you can't say 'no' to your father... right?”. He nodded sighing “Sadly... you have right... I mean, he accepted my request to quit my model job and he accepted my wish to become a writer too, but... ugh-” “But: 'You still have to carry on the great name and the honor of the Agreste's family'... right?” she interjected in mocking way, imitating his father's voice.

 

Adrien nodded “Yeah... the agreement, at that time, was good: I could become a writer, even in anonymous way, but I needed to have succes on my doings-” “With the promise of your future revelation to the world! I was there, remember?” she said, concluding for him. “Yeah, well... I thought it was a great idea, back there... I really didn't wanted for the people to buying my books, only because I was a famous face... I wanted to do it with my own strenght...”

 

“Well...” the girl goes on while sitting on his bed “you know that his suggestion isn't very... bad, right? I mean, he only purpose you to reveal yourself like a person, not as 'Adrien Agreste'... at least for now” he pouted against no one, turning his face to the empty wall and she giggled “We already talked about that. I think he proposed you this, just because, like that, the people can see that you are a real one and not some kind of...” she gestured vaguely with her hands “group of writers, hiding behind a single name or some kind of... program, collecting hints from the questionaries and writing down what people like the most... it's a good publicity for your own interest... even because he agreed on still letting you do it on your way-”

 

The blond grunted “Yeah! But why I need a team too??? He specifically pushed on this and I don't know why! And why for a designer too? The idea is really scratching on my skin! It made me remember the time when I was a model...” the girl sighed “Because: even if we are gonna to blur your face, like your request, for mantaining your privacy, and the interviews will be from your office, so no one will see your real face, you still need to dress... and since you can't be bad-dressed (remember the great family's name?), if you didn't want to be exposed for who you are, it's better for you to not wear any kind of Agreste's brand... and since your closet is made **only** with Agreste's brand...-” “I got it! I got it!” he interrupted her, groaning some more.

 

Her face softened, giving him one of her most kindly smile “Adrien, don't worry, okay? Trust me, I'll be there for you, okay?” she said, turning his face on her, cupping his right cheek with her left hand “You know that I love you like a real brother: I'll never ever let someone or something to hurt you in any way!” she reassured him, gently squeezing his cheek in joking way. The blond sighed “You really know how to lightening the mood, right?” she giggled again “Yup! And you love me for that too!”

 

He sighed aloud “True... Okay, I'm ready: let me see their profiles” the red-haired girl's eyes gleamed with victory “Finally!” she exclaimed. She darted to the desk, where she left her tablet, and picked it up, bringing it with her, back to the bed, where her friend were collecting his pages and books, trying to organize them from the big mess that he had done.

 

“Okay, so, first of all: they already know each other. Two of them went to the same elementary school. Then, the three of them, goes to the same middle and high school, where they often worked together with different projects of studying. They didn't really were in good relationships with each other, at least not with the third one until the last year of high school. I couldn't find out why that changed, but still something happened” Adrien nodded humming a little.

 

The young woman goes on “Then, they split. Each of them went in a different University, even if they still met outside the walls of school. They kept to be in contact with each other until now, so I'm sure that they already talked (or at least, they will do it soon) about the draft copy of the contract that we sent to them” then she darted to the door, where she left a big bag on the floor. She took out three different big yellow envelopes and comes back, delivering them to the blond guy. “Here are the papers with the complete researches” she said “Did you already read them?” he asked. She shook her head “Only the first pages, the one with basics informations, most of it I found them by myself with my devices...” she winked “I wanted to wait for you for the rest” she honestly admitted. Adrien nodded, opened the first envelope and started to read out loud “Nino Lahiffe... livig with his grandmother after taking her surname and being adopted by her... his parents aren't dead, so why is he living with his grandmother?” he asked more to himself than to his friend. She shrugged “I didn't find anything about that, he was adopted when he still was a minor, so I think that the judge simply archived it in those kind of cases. For searching in that kind of sections, are requested certain documents and authorization letters that I couldn't obtain... but you can always ask him in person, right?” she said smiling. Adrien hummed while going on with his reading “... he was a problematic child, since the last year of elementary school... he failed two years of middle school and, at the end of the third year, almost a year after his 'adoption', he improves his attitude... his 'bad side' vanished and goes on 'normally' with his years of studing... wait! Alya! You said that he goes to the same elementary school with the other one, but then the three of them met at the middle school... so even the other one failed for two years?”

 

The red-haired girl shook her head again “No, only he's two years older. The other two went without failing... in fact, I said that they attended the same school, not the same classes... you need to listen to me sometimes” she mocked him. He pouted to her in joking way, then goes on “In high school, he became the perfect model of the best student... graduated with perfect scores... from middle school he started to attend different courses of martial arts... expert of Aikido, Wing Chun Quan and the Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū. He attended different classes of Krav-maga, Boxe and Sanda too... okay, since he can pratically break my neck with a single finger I think that he's my future bodyguard, right?” he asked rising one eyebrow.

 

“That's what seems” she giggled, while Adrien took out his photo. Alya's smile widened “He's kind of hot too” she said leaning lightly to the picture. The young man groaned “Oh, no! Don't you dare! Alya, I love you and you know it: your happiness is mine... but please! Don't mess up with my bodyguard... My bodyguard! Didn't you read already what he can do? If you're gonna treat him like the others he's gonna crush all my bones!”

 

“Hey, I didn't treat bad my boyfriends!” she pouted. He rolled his eyes “Sure, you only put them behind, like they are the second choice... sometimes I really wish you could met someone really special for you” he added sighing. Alya smiled kindly “Oh dear... that's not your concern, okay? If I still put them behind you is only because I really care for you” she gives him a light grip on his hand “And if they can't understand that... well, means that they are not the right one for me!” she added shrugging.

 

He sighed again “Fine... but really, be gentle, okay? Sometimes it scares me how you can bite, chew and spit them out when you are in your 'rage mode'... anyway, let's go on...” he said opening the second envelope.

 

“Chloé Bourgeois... wait! I know her! Isn't she the daugther of the ex-Mayor? I think I met her one or two times when we were still child... like... twelve or thirteen?” he asked skeptically to his friend “Uhmm... let me see into the old documents of the parties, but I'm pretty sure that you two met back there... yup!” she answered scrolling on the old files in her tablet. Adrien shook his head a little “Well, if I'm lucky enough she will not recognize me at our first-encounter, so I can try to have a better interview... anyway, let's see... she challenged Nino in the role of the best student when they were in high school... perfect scores... her mother left her and his father when she was only ten... wait... she run away with the... Mayor's secretary?” he opened his eyes wide. Alya giggled “Well, sure this is something that you don't see often... and is something that I'm not supposed to giggled about” she scolded herself, while looking to her friend. He nodded “Yeah, I too was a little shocked for that same reason... I mean, there's nothing wrong with it... well, no, she run away from her husband and child, but...” Alya interjected him “A-a-a-a-a! Stop there! You're starting to rambling again! I got what you meant, so, go on with the papers”

 

“Okay, so... at her last year of high school, she changed her extra-curricular studies from fashion to journalism... she choose that career when she went to University and now she's the chief of the Chloé's Biggest News of Paris (CBNP)... her first arguments are on gossip and fashion, but her journal talk about anything... she even won different prizes for her pieces on the psychological treatments and the relationship between childs and parents... her biggest success was when she talked about the difficulties of the childs on the choice on their future... whoa, seems like she really changed her attitude... all I can remember was a capricious little girl, always begging her father to do something for her... it's good when people change like that...” Alya nodded while he took out the photo of the blonde woman “Yeah, and she even went really hard with those different group of commission, politics and old buisnessman, ready to bite to her neck at any time” she added “Thick heads?” he asked. The red-haired woman sighed “More like 'Try to not talk about this and that, because you can risk to push the wrong button'... remind you of someone?” she asked deviously.

 

He rolled his eyes “How funny Alya, really, really, funny!” she giggled while he opened the last envelope. “Okay, so the last one is the one that my father litterally obligated me to choose, right?” Alya smiled, while something strange pass through out her eyes, something that Adrien couldn't read well. She composed herself again “Well, tecnically, you still didn't choose them... they simply are the best candidates, but...” she sighed “Yes, she's the one that your old man 'personally requested' for you... it was from her that we found out the other two” she confirmed.

 

“Uhmm... Marinette Dupain-Cheng... I must say that: I'm quite pleased by the double surname. I like to think that someone can bring with them both parts of their origins” many times, in the past, he thought of changing his too, adding his mother's surname too. But he didn't change it, because his mother wasn't pleased with her family. She ran away from them, when she was only sixteen, and married his father two years later, taking his surname, changing hers with the new one.

 

He sighed “So, let's see... same schools, normal grades, not great distinctions for any kind of extra-curricular activities, she choose fashion and design courses in University, she was chosen at her first try for working like an intern for Agreste's brand... wait, and then? Where is the other papers? What about her life? Nothing?” he digged with his hand in the envelope “Really? Even the photo is missing! What happened to this envelope? Why I have so much informations about the other two (really, even their personal traits, like weight and highness), but about her I only have two single sheets of paper?” he asked angrly.

 

Alya shifted slightly “Uhmm, I think that...” she started “WHAT?!” he grouled aloud, making her jump on the spot. His eyes went wide and he took one big breath before going on “Sorry, Alya... what?” he asked again with a hint of guilt in his own voice. However, the woman didn't blame him, she knows that he was like that because he felt that something weren't right: that Dupain-Cheng girl, was the one that his father wanted, so why he couldn't have the informations that, he was sure, he needed?

 

The red-haired girl cleared her throat “Well... you know that these envelopes... I requested them, but it were gave it to me by your father...” a cold shiver ran through his back “well... I kind of saw... certain papers on his desk, while he gave the envelopes to me... he took them and put them on the waste disposer...” he were still looking at her, his gaze was empty and emotionless “If I remember correctly... there was a photo of a girl... black hair, asian traits, but I'm not sure... you didn't think that he does it on purpose... right?” he gulped and closed his eyes, while a single thought was filling his head _'What's on his mind now?'_

 

She sighed aloud “Well, at least, you have the last word and if you didn't like her you can always say no-” “I'm sure that then, he's gonna think to something else!” he interrupted her. She took the papers from his hands and put them to the side. Then, she squeezed his hands in hers “Listen, Adrien, I saw Gabriel for enough time to tell you that: he loves you” he didn't responded so she goes on “okay, maybe he's a little bit of a freak about his control over anything that can concern him... and his really care about the family's name, but... he still loves you, okay?” he nodded, but still didn't said anything.

 

“Good, now... why don't we talk about your future bodyguard?” she wiggled her eyebrows and a sweet smile sprouted incounciously on his lips “Oh, God! Alya, please, didn't I said to you to not mess up things?” she shrugged “I don't mess up... I'm just curious and maybe I'll gonna have a little bit of fun” she winked to him. He shook his head “Fine, you win, tell me about this guy... I don't know why, but I have the feeling that you made more 'personal-research' on him” she smiled deviously “Oh, you know me very, very, well!... So, I heard that he's some kind of ladykiller. His stories aren't long enough to be considered... well, stories. He had many girlfriends around him, but seems like he already have a special person in his heart. Someone that didn't answer to his feelings...” “Well, this seems more like the classic plots of many novels, mangas and comedy movies” he said.

 

“Yes, nerd, seems really like that, but... can I remember you that many of my old boyfriends thought the same thing about me and you? Only because you went before them that doesn't mean that I love you in that way! So I thought...” he interrupted her again “You thought: and if he's the same? If those girls were only jelous about this misterious... girl or guy?” She nodded, then she shrugged “Anyway... I didn't found out, but I'm quite pleased to know it pretty soon!” she said happily.

 

He sighed aloud “Man... I envy you, Alya... you aren't scared of trying and failing, but I-” “You are simply a wonderful person!” she interjected him “You only lack on luck and self-confidence!” he giggled “You made a twist-tongue”. She rolled her eyes “Don't change the subject!” she scolded him with a smile. Then, she kindly hugged him “I don't know how, I don't know why and I don't know when neither who, but I'm sure of this: your savior is out there. Maybe far from this country, or more closer than what me and you can thought, but I know that your destined one exist. You only need to have faith, and then you'll meet!”

 

He hugged her even tightly, letting his mute hopes and prays inside himself, like he always done before.

 

Alya didn't needed to hear him, she already known of his deep thoughts and she just straightened her hug too. Only one thought comes to her mind _'I'm sure of this. One day your princess will come!'_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....
> 
> Uhmm... yeah... maybe I messed up really bad with the main characters's pasts...  
> But I'm a good person, I swear! (Ó_Ò)  
> I don't want to make them suffer, but... this story is like that, and I wanted to show different sides of difficult lives, soo...  
> hope you'll continue to read it!
> 
> Thank you very much: for your kudos, your comments and your kindness.  
> Next release will be chapter2 of: 'About Pirates & Thieves - The legendary Ladybug and the notorious Chat Noir'.
> 
> See you soon!!!  
> (>w0)/***


	3. Chapter 03

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand, here I am!
> 
> Welcome back (well... I'm back too XD), hope you all had happy holidays.  
> So, this is my first release of this New Year!
> 
> Like always, hope you all like my story!
> 
> Happy reading! (>w0)/***

_~~~~°~~~~°~~~~°~~~~°~~~~°~~~~°~~~~_

“ _Keep your eyes on your opponent. Rise your fists... right, like that, good boy!” the man said to the young kid. The child were almost six, but he was already well disciplined to the hard trainings of his father. “Remember, son: never show pity, nor any kind of weakness!” he said, walking around the kid, while he was punching a big old sandbag. “Your opponent will not show you the same kindness, so you have to be more cruel and more ferocious of him” he continued to talk._

 

_The child stopped, breathing heavily, drying his wet forehead with his wristband of sponge._

 

“ _Why did you stopped?” asked angrily the man. “Father... please... I was punching from this morning... can we...?” the man tightened his grip on his hands, making his knuckles white. Then, all at once, he relaxed “Sure... sorry Nino, I... I was carried away... you are still young, I suppose that, sometimes, I tend to treat you like my old self, but... I was fourteen and my coach were... really intense in his schedule...” the man patted lightly on the shoulder of his son “Come on, I'm sure that your mother made a wonderful lunch, let's go...”_

 

_The kid smiled proudly at his father, bringing up his towel from the side of the room “Hey, dad! I'm happy to stay with you like this, but... don't you need to go to work?” a long shiver of chill passed through the back of the man. A saddened expression covered his eyes, but the son didn't saw it. The man was still giving the back to his son when he responded “... Well... let's just say that... they gave me a very long holiday period”_

 

_The child nodded with a smile “Anyway, I'm happy to have all this time with you!” and he ran to the door, unaware of the few tears that were there to came out from his dad's eyes “... yeah... me too...”_

_~~~~°~~~~°~~~~°~~~~°~~~~°~~~~°~~~~_

 

Loud knocks, made Nino to woke up, covered in sweat.

 

He took a look to his hands. They were very more calloused and covered in different kind of scars. _'… I'm really changed from back there, uh?'_ he thought and then groaned aloud _'I didn't dreamed of them from so many years and now... ugh!'_ a little sensation of nausea come to him, passing through his throat and leaving in his mouth a disgusting feeling of sickness. “Damn it!” he shouted aloud.

 

“Oh, no! Don't you dare to give me that! Your alarm went off an hour ago and I was the most gentle with you right now!” a female voice shouted from the other side of the door. Nino chuckled a little, all the bad feelings disappeared “Sorry, granma... just a bad dream...”. The door opened quietly, while a tall and thin woman entered the room with worries on her face “... hey... you allright, son?” she asked gently. The young man smiled to her, giving to the old woman a reassuring nod “Sure, don't worry... I'm much better now” he said and she nodded too “well... so, now, you can start to call me by my name again and don't refer to me like 'granma'!” she jokingly scolded him.

 

The dark skinned guy snorted “Uh-uh, sorry Marisol, and... thanks for your callings” she smiled to him “Don't mention it... by the way... what do you think?” she asked making a little twirl, showing her dress to the guy. Nino smiled to her “Who is this? Still Andrew?” he asked and she frowned, feigning shock “Of course not! This is Donatien. Andrew was too much stressful to date. He demanded to change my way of view, just for him. And so, I simply wished him to go, to find the right one, that surely was not me! Marisol Margot Lahiffe is not the kind of woman that keep her head down! No-no!” she said firmly.

 

Nino snorted “You're a real force of nature!... I love you granma” he said, standing up from his bed, throwing his shirt on the corner of the room and putting on the clean one that was on the nearest chair. “You know... even if you are completely autonomous on your home duties, I still can't help to disagree on your unique way of separating your dirty laundry from your clean one” she said, shaking lightly her head. “Hey, I simply throw in the corners the 'no-no' clothes... nonetheless, twice in a week, I clean everything from the top to the bottom!” he replied, wearing his gym's pants. He took the gym's bag, lifting it over his shoulder, grabbing other clean clothes and putting them inside it “I'll be out for the day, I'll come back before dinner... if everything goes well... okay, maybe I'll eat out with the girls” he warned, tying the laces of his shoes.

 

The woman made a big smile “Oh, don't worry, honey. I'm sure that you three have many things to discuss about that work. It's an important decision, so be wise, guys...” he nodded smiling at her “... anyway, I think I'm gonna be the one to came back later... if all goes well, I'm counting on not coming back before tomorrow morning!” she winked and her nephew sighed “Granmaaa... please, I know that you are still very active and energic, but please... spare me this little details...” she snickered “Well, I simply implied it”.

 

He let out a little groan, while picking up the jacket from his closet and tied it on his bag “Okay... my change, my wallet, my towels, soap, deodorant, keys, jacket, head... yup, I think I have everything” he said with a smile, making giggle the old woman beside him. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek, and then he winked to her “See you tomorrow, then... ah, and... Marisol?” “Yes, dear?” he smirked “Don't have too much fun” he joked, before going out.

 

Nino went down, almost running, to the stairs. When he was out of the building he was welcomed by a chilly breeze of wind. Anyway, the weather was nice: the sun were shining bright in the sky and the perfume of the bakeries were tempting his nose. This was a perfect day for a walk. But, unfortunately, he had an intense schedule to follow, if he wanted to accept that new job. He shifted the weight of the gym's bag from a shoulder to the other and quickened his step. He was almost there; the big red building, made of bricks, were in front of him, to the other side of the street. _'Okay, so, today simple exercises until this evening. Then, tomorrow, I need to say 'hi' to my sensei, and ask him about that sequence; then I need to do a little stop to the dojo for the lesson of the 3.00 p.m., then...'_ he started to recollect his schedule in his mind, when a scene captured his attention.

 

Few meters from him, there was a girl, with long and waved red hair, that was arguing with a guy. That male wasn't really kind in his expressions, but the girl weren't gentle too. He was there to let them be, when he saw the man rising his hand and shoving the girl against the wall, lowering his tone like a growl, but almost shouting out loud for giving a full scene to all the people around. The girl shouted too, grabbing on her shoulder. Seems like she injured in the scuffle with the bricks behind her. She took out her phone, with her free hand, and starting to dialing some numbers, before his hand hit hers, throwing the device on the ground and trample it, under his foot.

 

“What are you doing? Are you crazy? Now you have to pay for my phone, too!” she growled to the man, that was now trying to scaring her, towering all over her with angry eyes. “You said that you were gonna call the police!” he replied shouting “For me! You were to call the police for me! I simply wanted to talk about us, you stupid b*tch! First you f*ck me and then you go?” he said. But the girl didn't were ashamed. She grinned to him and simply said, lowering her voice again on a normal tone of 'civil-conversation' “Hey, I was clear that night, right? I said that I didn't wanted strange relationships. It was a one-night thing... and you agreed on it, really clearly, since you weren't drunk... and the next morning **you** made me go out from the window, 'cause your girlfriend thought you were alone, right?”, her voice were full of confidence. “I didn't do anything bad. We had an agreement. It's not my fault if you are so incredibly stupid to risk your relationships like this. I didn't known about your girlfriend, because if I do, I had searched for someone else... less problematic” she explained. The man were now completely red from the anger and shame. He's behavior less confident than before, but he still shouted again “My girl saw the stain of lipstick on the sheets! She broke up with me! I wanted to call you, then, but you didn't left a single number behind for me-” “That's because I didn't wanted to meet you ever again! You know the definition of 'one-night thing', big idiot?” the red-haired girl interrupted him.

 

The man pushed her again against the wall, gripping tightly on her shoulder with his hand “Stop calling me like that! You were the one that stalked me these past days! You know that my girlfriend live near here!” the girl tried to take his hand off her, but he was stronger than her. Nevertheless, she still reacted ferociously “What are you talking about? After that night, I never saw you before today! I have no idea of who is this girl, or ex-girl, of yours, but I'm sure that breaking up with you, were the biggest affair of her life! You cheated on her. And, by the way, I hate cheaters! So, trust me, if I ever had the terrible idea to stalk you, it could be only for giving you a lesson! You, biggest stupid, piece of idiot!”

 

The man snapped bad. He rised his hand, fitting in a punch, and aimed for her face. She closed her eyes, ready to feel the impact on her skin and bone... but it didn't came. She opened her eyes and saw another guy, in casual clothes and a black cap on his head, while grabbing the raised arm of the man, clearly stopping him to punch her.

 

°-°-°-°-°-°

 

Nino moved in an instant, but then, he hesitated. He saw the couple shouting at each other and was tempted to just warn them, to lowering their voices or to discuss somewhere else, without disturbing all the people around. He normally leaves those quarrels to the lovers and goes away, but the violence never was an option for him. So, when the man pushed the girl on the wall his body shivered, ready to go. Anyway, he waited: a push, even if painful, wasn't enough to make him take some action between them. He already had past experiences with those kind of things and... well, not always, the 'victims' were grateful for his intervention. He still remembered the time when two girls were quarreling, and when he pushed the more agressive afar, the other one called the police, saying that a stranger attacked her friend _'... yeah, sometimes, human sucks...'_ he thought, thinking back to the scene. That time, he spent almost an hour to explaining the officer (even thanks to a kindly witness) that he was only there to make them stop.

 

So, he waited a bit more.

 

But when he shoved her against the wall, again, and she gripped on her shoulder in pain... well, that was enough.

He threw the gym's bag on the side and walk toward them, just in time for seeing his hand, tightening in a fist, rising it, ready to punch.

 

His response was immediate. With one hand he gripped tightly his inner elbow, with the other he simply pushed the fist aside, and then, grabbed his wrist. Like this, the arm of the man was immobilized, leaving Nino with the complete control of the situation.

 

The man was initially shocked, but after few seconds he tried to freed himself, while shouting “Who the f*ck are you? What do you want, bastard? You are her man? Bad for you, she cheated on you with me, so leave us alone, you f*cking bastard!”. Nino sighed, he simply gave a little push with his shoulder against the chest of his opponent, releasing him from the grasp and making him withdraw of few steps. “Sorry, dude, I'm not your enemy, ok? I don't know you, and I don't know her, but still you are both disturbing everyone around. So, please, I'll ask you kindly: leave...” he said, giving a severe look at him. The man was ready to react, but when he saw the solid posture of the dark-skinned guy, he swallowed his words and pride. He growled behind his teeth before babbling something like “I don't want to see you again... never” and then, he goes away.

 

When the man was gone, he turned on his feet, looking at the girl against the wall. She was still grabbing her shoulder. Her eyes were a little bit red for the anger and, maybe, a little bit of fear. Anyway, even if that was true, she was looking at him like nothing happened. Her face was the picture of the fierceness and pride. He sighed again, kneeling down for taking up her phone. Nino gave her back the broken device “... uhmm... listen, it's not my place to tell you anything, but... maybe next time... try to not shout to him... or anyone that is shouting to you... people tend to react in different ways and some people... react with the violence-” “Well, maybe those people simply need to take a big deep breath before opening their mouth!” she interrupted him. She took her phone from his hand “... anyway... thank you” she said, adjusting her glasses on the nose. Her red hair waved under her touch, while she tried to set them aside, for having a better view of her shoulder, under her jacket “Wait there!” said Nino, running to his abandoned bag and retrieving something from inside of it.

 

“Here, put that under the cloth, but be careful to not touch it directly with the skin” he gave her a little plastic bag. She looked at the item “What's this?” asked dubiously, while Nino rolled his eyes “Instant ice pack, trust me, it's better to keep it cool, before it swollen or worst... ah, and try to call a doctor or go to the hospital. It must be nothing, but it's always better to be sure, ok?” he said with a smile.

 

The red-haired girl rised one eyebrow “Uh-hu, you seem to know it pretty well... are you often having something to do with this kind of things? People tend to beat you?” she asked with a bit of irony in her voice. Nino chuckled “Well... something like that... ah! By the way...” he searched inside his wallet for something, and took out a little piece of paper “This is a business card of a friend of mine. You can go to his shop and ask him for help, about your phone” he pointed at the number on it. “Well, you are kind, but if you were a real hero, now you had bought me a new phone” she said jokingly and he smiled again “Maybe... if I was a hero, but here, in this moment, this time, and this universe, I'm only a good person that try to make little favors here and there... plus, if you say that Nino sent you, he'll make you a good 'friendly' price” he winked to her and turned, for going away.

 

“Sooo... this is your way of giving me a new phone? Making me pay only for half of it? Hope you didn't expect me to give you something... 'kind', in return for your knightly actions...” she said almost purring in seductive voice, making him stop on the spot. He turned again to her, his smile still there, but this time it wasn't very sweet (even if still polite and kind) “No, this is my way for giving you the share of your 'one-night-thing guy'” he simply said. She chuckled “What? Are you trying to say me something? You want to scold me for my behavior, because a woman has no right to have adventures, or people will start to think bad of her?” she was a little angry again. The dark-skinned guy shook his head “You are free to do whatever you want, be whichever you feel and stay with whoever you desire... But, you need to be more careful: if a man, evidently emotional, and clearly more strong and big than you, start to shout to you... you don't have to shout to him too! Why do you thought it was a good idea to offend him, like you done? Plus, he's an idiot, I agree on it, but still it was not your right to said all those bad things to him! You were rude, back there, and you were lucky that I was there too...” he looked at her, and saw something darting throughout her eyes. Something that he couldn't recognize “... anyway... sorry, because we don't know each other and I'm, basically, scolding you... sorry, again... remember to take a look at your shoulder, okay? Bye...” and he turned again.

 

He done few steps before hearing her voice, like an amused whisper, from behind him “Uhmm... Interesting... see you soon, Nino...” he stopped in front of the door, and looked behind him, but the girl was already gone. He was a little confused by the tone of her voice, but he shrugged and finally opened the door of the gym's building.

 

_'Strange girl... seem like the kind of person that always bring, with her, troubles... just my type...'_ he shook his head, while entering the locker room _'Damn, Nino... It's not like I'm gonna see her soon, for real... right?'_

 

°-°-°-°-°-°

 

Marinette was tired.

 

She spended the last two hours trying to fixing that damn piece of cloth. Truly said, nothing big, really. But when you have to fix said cloth when is weared by someone, and that same someone is working really hard for extending your torturing time to fix it... well, then that same work could be really stressing.

 

“Like I was saying to you, yesterday there was this stupid and ugly girl... she was all 'I'm your biggest fan' and 'Please can you sign my magazine?' and 'I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you, but is a once time in life chance to meet your favourite model!' and other flattering chatter like that, I mean, can you understand? If she was at least a bit cute, then I could have even talk to her a bit more, but... you see what I'm saying?” asked the red-haired guy. His dark blue eyes were fixed on her and her hands, before wandering a little too much all over her body-frame. He was tall and a bit too much muscular for Marinette's taste. But that was not the problem. She didn't really cared about his body _'I mean, with this kind of work you happen to see any kind of body, naked and not, so this is not really the problem, here!'_ she thought. It was his personality. _'How is it possible to be so egocentric? Okay, I know that this job is stressing, I don't judge about this... but how can you say that if she was better looking you could have accepted to talk more to her? You are a disgusting person! Plus, you are working with all your might for wasting my time! I can say it, since you are moving every single moment for not letting me finish my work! You... big piece of... Whoa! Ok, Marinette, keep calm. Take big breaths, in and out, in and out...'_ so she simply gave him a little, meaningless, smile, trying to finish her work as soon as possible.

 

By the big smile that grew on his face, seems like her meaningless one didn't done any kind of effect for keeping him at his place. “Well, if she was at least a bit good like you... then I could have spent more time with her...” he said wandering his gaze again on her “You have a really good face, you know?” _'Well, thank you, but I don't care of what you think!'_ she thought.

 

“Plus, you have a really nice legs...”

 

_'Stop here or I'm gonna punch you in the nose, coworker or not!'_

 

“... and your ass... has anyone ever told you how nice is it?”

 

_'Keep calm, say a simple 'no' and go on with your work...'_

 

“I'm not kidding, even your hips. You could have been a model instead of a simple designer” he scoffed like it was some kind of 'dirty thing' to do. She took a quick look around her, trying to find rescue from one of her coworkers, but all of them (or, at last, all that was there, in that same room, with them) turned their eyes away.

 

_'Seems like this idiot is quite famous for scaring most of the designer in this room... ugh! As always, my luck is laughing at me'_ she thought, continuing to doing her job. She locked her gaze on her task, trying to not listening to any kind of argument he was talking about.

 

_'… you have almost finished, Marinette, you can do it! Just... fix... if he can stop gesturing with his hands, wandering them here and there, like he was an actor on the stage!'_

 

“... I can ask, really, no problem... all right?”

 

She sighed “Sure, yeah, whatever... … wait! What?” she asked, finally looking at him. He smiled deviously, but his expression only gave her chills _'Ugh! Creepy!'_ she thought. “I was saying that I can talk with a friend of mine, and you can be a model... like me... well, ok, maybe not so good like me, I'm a professional at this point of my career, but you can always ask me for help or advices of any kind, whenever you want-”

 

“Wait, wait, okay, sorry, I...” she sighed “... I didn't really get what you said before, so maybe I answered a bit too fast. So, no, thank you, but I love my work, I don't want to model, so...” he started to laugh “Hey, I can understand it, don't worry” “R-really?” she asked dubiously “Of course. I can see that you are just too shy for asking me, but really, you need to have more confidence, you can do it” he patted on her shoulder, letting his finger touch her a little bit more than necessary. She shivered and shrugged off his hand with all her composure and kindness “Yeah, no, thank you. I'm not lying to you: I really love my work. I don't want to be a model, so... no, again.” she firmly said.

 

She quickly finished to fix the cloth _'Finally!'_ and was ready to go, when he grabbed her hand “Hey, there, wait a minute. I wanted to thank you for your help. What do you think? A coffee? A dinner? A drink? A cocktail, maybe, or a glass of wine... at my home... with a good evening date before...-” his hand strated to rise long her arm, reaching for her shoulder. She was shivering, and in a not-so-comfortable way. She were there to react and grab his wrist, when another hand took his place on his shoulder. He was there to said something to the new intruder, when his jaw fell wide open... metaphorically speaking.

 

Even Marinette's eyes went wide open for the shock. In front of them, there was the one and only boss of all of them: Gabriel Agreste.

 

“S-s... sir! W-what can I do, I mean, you need some-uh, no, sorry, I...-” the hand on the shoulder rised from there and went in front of the model's face to silence him “Mr. Giraud... Aren't you supposed to be to the other side of the building?” the tall, grey-haired, man asked. “A-actually... yes, I have a meeting, but it's at noon, so...-” “Aren't you informed that the reunion was anticipated by few hours? I think you need to hurry and be somewhere else, right?” said Gabriel, fixing his glasses on his nose.

 

The model mumbled something almost silently, while giving a quick half bow to his boss and giving a quick look of greet to Marinette, before darting to the nearest hallway and going away.

 

Marinette let out a big sigh that she didn't know to held. When she realised that, she quickly gave a look to the tall man beside her “Uh... I... I-I'm sorry, I didn't intended to...-” he stopped her, rising the same hand of before and shaking his head “No harm done, Miss. Dupain-Cheng. I saw the entire situation, so I thought it was only... kind, of me, to gave you a little help, there... but if you were interested, then...-” this time it was her to interrupting him “Of course! I-I mean, of course you helped me, sir! He was giving me creeps and he was really rude, looking at me, with those disguuuu-I'm sorry, sir, I didn't meant to say... ugh!” she hided her face behind her hands.

 

A kind of gentle smirk appeared on his face, turning into a vague resemble of a smile. Then, a very strange sound came from him. A sound that only few people have ever heard: a laugh. The grey-haired man was laughing, even if in very elegant and composed way, in front of the completely stunned girl, that had rised her face from her palms and were now looking at him with disbelief.

 

The man stopped to laugh and cleared his voice “Anyway, I was there because I was searching for you” he said. Marinette's eyes went wide open again “Y-you were searching... me? W-why, sir? I did something wrong?” she asked nervously. The tall man made another smirk, turning his lips in a little smile _'A real one, this time!'_ she thought still stupefied “No, no... I was searching for you, because I've heard something... interesting” her gaze changed with a pure expression of confusion “Interesting, sir?” he nodded “Yes, I heard of something interesting, concerning you... can we talk somewhere else?... More private? Shall we?” he asked, letting her grasp that the gesture was more for courtesy on her own interest.

 

She nodded and followed the man through different hallways. They changed side of the building and Marinette recognized that place, because it was one of her favourite. They were, where the most talented designers was. That part of the building was specifically made for letting the most creative minds to work and express in all of their potential. They stopped in front of a door. He took out a single key from the pocket of his expensive, and elegant, suit. He unlocked the door and entered the room, making a little gesture to her to follow him inside. She entered the room and he goes to the desk, letting the door completely open.

 

There was nothing in that room, if not for different kind of locked closets and a single couch, other than the empty desk with a single chair and something in the corner, covered with a long white blanket. She looked around, before turning to him with a still confusing gaze “I... I'm sorry, Mr. Agreste, but... I don't understand, why we came here, in this side of the building?” she asked, trying to not looking around too much. It wasn't her office, so maybe it was unpolite of her to let her eyes wander all around there.

 

He took the chair and put it near the couch. He sat and made a gesture to Marinette for sitting too. She do so and waited for an explanation “I've heard about a certain... job offer” he started and then she went rigid. _'How did he found out? It was sent only a draft of the contract. They was so specific about the secrecy! Now I can't work with Chat Noir anymore, and I'm gonna lose this job too! Ugh, why my life is so... unlucky?'_ she thought, starting to bite her inner cheeks. Gabriel must have seen the terror in her eyes, because he started to add almost immediatly “I think it's a very unique and good opportunity for a talented designer like you. So, I hope you'll accept the job, the moment they give it to you...”

 

She was ready to said something, like thanking him, but her fear was to screaming with joy for all the compliments, in front of his face... so she stood in silence, letting him go on with his talk “... however, I'll be glad if you can be so... kind, to considering my offer too...” he cleared his voice “I don't want that you take down the other offer. Like I said, it's an incredible opportunity for you... but I still need your talent, and I'll be really glad to hear an affermative response from my suggestion and... request”. He let her few seconds, for assimilate all the informations and his next words.

 

“I want to give you this office” he said and she almost fainted “W-what? Sorry, sir, Mr. Agreste, maybe I heard something strange, can... can you repeat, please?” he stood up and goes to the desk “I said, that I want to give you... an 'incentive' to your internship. You still need to learn, but your creativity and talent are something out of the ordinary... like the other incredible persons that work on this side of the building” he added and she couldn't do anything in that moment. Finally, she nodded, letting him know that she just registered all of his speech until now. “So, I was hoping to benefit of your talent a bit more, letting you finish your internship... without going against your new offer, of course” he said, taking a little pile of papers out from one of the drawers of the desk. “This is your copy of the contract. You can read it at home, I'll give you a week... for letting you decide without worries” he gave her the papers. Then, he took out a big, yellow, envelope and give it to her too “For clearing your mind, I'll give you this” he said and she opened it. Inside, there was many papers of a future project for a big show “If you're not too much pressured, I need your... uhmm... creativity with this new project of mine. It'll be long before going out, so, you can work on it in your free time”

 

She rised her eyes “So... basically, you are telling me that you need me on this project, but still I can accept the other job too?” she asked stupefied. “Isn't what I said? I thought it was better to give you an office, since your job will be... quite stressful with things like time and place” his phone vibrating in his pocket and he took it out, reading the message, but still talking to her “Like I said, I'll give you a week for decide. Meanwhile, you can start to use this place, to gain some confidence with this new side of work. So, you can do whatever you want here... you know the rules of this side, right?” he look at her. She furiously nodded “All the designers of this section are allowed to come in their offices at every hour of the day, at every day of the week. It's a 24/7 rule, that let the designers completely freedom from any kind of restrictions... well, unless there's something that you decided, sir-”

 

“Another rule! Here, all my designers call me Gabriel, and I, call them by name too... so, I'll be grateful, once you accept my offer, and in this week trial, to follow this rule too” he said, interrupting her. She nodded. “Very well, now that this is settled too, I have another 'gift' for you” he goes to the corner, taking the covered thing near the couch, where Marinette were still stunned by all those events. He took out the blanket, revealing a beautiful, coloured, pink velvet fashion dummy, under it “I asked here and there for the tint, and, since I did it for every single employee of this section, I thought it was only right to do it for you too... your favourite colour is pink... right?”

 

Marinette couldn't answer. She was too concentrated on her important task: to not faint in front of her boss.

 

Finally, she found her words again “Y-yes, sir, I mean, Mr. Agr- Gabriel... pink is my favourite colour...” he nodded “Well, at least the informations were correct. Now, excuse me, but I need to be somewhere else within... twelve minutes, so I really need to go. It was a pleasure to talk with you, Miss. Marinette. Hope you can accept my offer, I'll wait for your answer... have a nice day” he greeted, gave her the key, and goes out, closing the door behind him, leaving a stunned Marinette, still on the couch, that was trying to normally breath again.

 

Meanwhile, the grey-haired man were fast walking through other hallways. Then, he took his personal elevator, inserting a specific key on the panel on the wall. He entered, and pushed the button, letting his gaze to wander on the pattern of the wallpapers. Then, a single thought made him smirk _'Marinette Dupain-Cheng... I'm not gonna let you go!'_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... Yup, I wrote more than 5600 words! ... Precisely: 5694... almost 5700! I'm crazy! XD  
>  No, really, normally I wrote around 4000 words (why? I dunno, but is like that ;D), this time my mind exploded and my fingers started to typing furiously... and still I didn't wrote all of the original plot for this chapter... so, yes, I basically splitted it in half, but this didn't change anything, trust me ^^'
> 
> And... I know: I'm slooooow. Sorry again (^///^)"
> 
> If you are curious about the 'Pink velvet fashion dummy' that Gabriel give to Marinette, I found an image that can fit my idea of it:  
> https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/6a/d2/2b/6ad22b468838574e9e4e0f7a61edbb81.jpg
> 
>  
> 
> Next release (I don't think I'll make you wait so much): the fifth chapter of 'Running free & falling hopelessly'!
> 
> See you soon!  
> (>w0)/***


	4. Chapter 04

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaand here I am!!! XD
> 
> Really, I've spent so much time in the grammar corrections... I really hope it went good (T_T)
> 
> So, from this fanfic's chapter on, I'm gonna add the tags "Gorilla (alias Régis Dumont)" and "Régis Dumont is Gorilla's name (in my fanfics!)"  
> Why? Because I like Gorilla's character (at least, the one in my head :P) and I didn't wanted to think of a different name for him for every fanfic that I want to write, sooo... here! The 'official' name of Gorilla is: Régis Dumont!  
> [Again: in my fanfics! I don't know if he have an official name in 'Miraculous Ladybug' cartoon ^^" ]
> 
>  
> 
> Well, like always, hope you all like my story...  
> HAPPY READING!!! (=0w0=)

Chloé rubbed her eyes for the frustration: today was one of those that you only want to forget.

 

It all started first, in the morning, when she came to work, like everyday...

 

°-°-°-°-°-°

 

_**#That same morning#** _

 

Chloé was happy.

 

She had just found out that her article about the illegal traffic of money, through the hands of some powerful figures, was accepted by no other than her worst enemy: Dominic Morel.

 

Dominic was one of the most old 'friend' of her father and, of course, when André Bourgeois stopped to be the Mayor, he gave him his back as a 'thank you for all our past years, together'. And what happened, when Chloé decided to run her own activity of media and informations? It came out that he was one of the oldest member of the management fee for the investment on her job... of course! Just her luck! From that time on, Dominic was one of the most, hateful, thick head one. He wanted to be sure that his money were well invested. So, he often barged in her office, with a cruel comment or two ('suggestions and hints' like he called it) about her works. It required all Chloé's willpower for not smashing and punching hard on his face with all of her strength.

 

Luckily (and, a bit, scaring), this time Dominic was completely supportive about that. Her last article were wonderful just like that, and he didn't said a word about it... obviously, Chloé made her researches, finding out that, few of those figures that was mentioned in the illegal activities, were the direct enemies of Dominic's finances... soo... of course, he was completely good with her work. Anyway, she didn't cared about: the article were originally created for a good purpose and **that** was the right thing to do.

 

So, yes: Chloé was happy.

 

She went to her workplace with a smile on her face and a big lift on her heart. She only put one foot in the building when her secretary, one young pale man, so tall and thin that sometimes she feared he could just break in front of her own eyes, started to call her name. “Miss Bourgeois, I was searching for you... we have a problem!” Chloé's shoulder slumped down by the news “Ugh, why? Why I have to enter here and only find problems?” she shouted, while taking the small pile of papers that the guy gave to her. His brown eyes started to become even bigger; he always did like that: when he was nervous, he (immediately) sucked the air in his lungs and opened, wide, his eyes. She didn't knew why, but she was sure that it was some kind of unconscious reaction from his body. “I-I'm sorry, Miss Bourgeois, I was careless and let this to happen... it's all my fault...” he started to ask for forgiveness even before she could understand what he was talking about “Stop here, Hervé, I need to read this papers before decide that this... whatever is... is 'all' your fault, okay?” he nodded with a nervous smile before leaving her alone in her personal elevator, while darting to somewhere else.

 

That elevator was quite useful: it stopped to all the floors of the building and it was the only one that ended at the last highest floor. This meant, that that, was the only way for going to her personal office. Only few people were allowed to use that elevator, thanks to a special key. The people were, obviously: she, her secretary (Hervé) and other few selected persons, like the cleaning staff, her father, Marinette (of course!), Nino (only because he was part of Marinette's world) and another special person that always known how to cheer her up _'Sadly, now he's in England, so he can't help me, with my exasperation!'_ she thought with a sigh.

 

A clear ring, took her out from her thoughts. She walked through the short hallway, stopping in front of a big, white, door. She took out her keys and opened the office. She threw all the things in her hands (aside for the papers) on the couch and darted to the windows, opening the curtains, for letting the rays of sun to barge in that room, warming her heart, a little. Then, she sat on her desk, starting to flip through the pages of that pile that had welcomed her with only troubles.

 

After few minutes, there was a lightly knock on the door “Who's there?” she asked without raising her eyes from the documents “I-It's me, Miss Bourgeois, I brought your coffee...” Chloé sighed, thanking inside her, all the Gods for that wonderful invention: the coffee... and the cocktails, but now it was not the right time for it. “Come in, Hervé, we need to talk, therefore don't go, right away, okay?” she said, rubbing her eyes, without messing with her make-up on.

 

The tall man entered the room, with concern in his eyes, while bringing the big cup to her “Listen, Hervé, you need to cool down a little, okay? I've just finished to read those documents and... it was not your fault... ok? Maybe you made a little mistake, when you sent the mail in response, but the problems were at the beginning: the fourth floor wrote something that was wrong from the start, plus, it was wrongly confirmed by the sixth floor, and then it was sent to the factory. Of course, they replied thinking it was all good and right. Then you received their news without knowing the previous matters. But it's normal: your work is not to supervise all the other ones. So, don't worry, I'll think about the new contract, but, for now, stop to be nervous and, please, stop to give all the guilt to yourself, really!... I need you to be strong for me. Can you do it, Hervé? Can you do it for me?” he nodded in silence, but it was clear, from the gleam in his eyes, that he was happy for the kind (even if in harsh tone) words of his boss.

 

“Now go, call Mr. Laurent about the last article that he requested, send a bouquet to Mrs Lefevre for her pregnancy, start to type few words of apology for this mess and call Marinette: tell her that, tonight, I'll be late for our appointment” the young man nodded, writing all on his small block. Then he smiled and goes away. _'I must to admit: I would be lost without him, but sometimes he's only an added problem!'_ she thought, sighing, while taking other documents from the desk.

 

From that moment on, all became even more complicated: she had to jump from a section of her agency, to another one, for fixing and reorganise that big mess that welcomed her like a slap.

 

It was only at seven p.m. that she was finally free to 'work for herself'.

 

°-°-°-°-°-°

 

_**#Back to the present#** _

 

She had just said _goodbye_ to Hervé. She felt better since she was finally alone and (now) free from all of her duties. She started to take a look, for the fourth time in that week, to all of her researches. She took out her laptop from the black and yellow bag that was on the couch. She put it on her big desk and inserted one of her three, _secret_ , USB pen drives (that she disguised like a black triangular pendant with an elegant, pink and yellow, bee embossed on it). She opened all the files that was saved there, and gave another look to the monitor in front of her, murmuring in whispers to herself.

 

“Bought by a certain Régis Dumont, vicepresident of the _Gorilla &Buildings_, one of the most honest group of builders in all Paris...” _'Funny logo, by the way: a KingKong on a skyscraper... so inspiring'_ she thought with irony “and then, ceded to _The Moth Industries - TMI_ _TM_ , a French group of marketing. Then sold to the _Lady Wifi Company & co._, a large company of buying&selling all over the world, but with registered office to London, and now rented by a private...” talking with herself had always helped her to made it all clear in her head.

 

“Why an old building like that, with no utility nor strategic position for the market, was bought and sold like that?” she asked to no one “... plus, no one made any kind of structural modification to that building... obligatory restructurations apart...” she scrolled the documents on the screen and then, she decided to open her mail page, since she didn't looked at it for an entire day “Oh, I received an email yesterday night, lets see... uhmmm... seems like Nath found something... okay, the _Lady Wifi Company & co._ made many contract with _The Moth Industries TMI_ _TM_ , but nothing strange other than that... The same _Lady Wifi Company & co._ had recently changed (just the other year, by the way) their legal operations, becoming a group of buying-selling&renting... They often rent their buildings to privates and their exclusive contract are only for few restricted clients... money laundering? Naaa, too much legal issues there. Plus, by the quantity of money that was used, and by those other legal steps here, it would be more a loss... reading all of this, it seems more like a matter of 'lets try to deceive the others about the real issue'... seems like they don't want to let the others know about who really use those rented buildings... why all those secrecies? And what it does that have to do, with Chat Noir?...” she closed her eyes sighing “I need a drink!”

 

She stood, all at once, darting to her corner-bar, when she heard few knockings from the other side of the door “Who's there?” she asked annoyed. A cheerful, low voice, came from the hallway “Evening, Miss Bourgeois, I'm Bowmore: a good 12 years old scotch whisky, from Islay, the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland... I just made a long trip from there for come to Paris and, while I was flying, I thought how I would be honoured to be drunk by you... of course, you can be drunk with me too” snickered the voice. The blond woman rolled her eyes “Oh, my...! Enter Nathanaël, or I'm gonna crush your face!” she said exaspered.

 

A tall red-haired man, entered the room brandishing a dark bottle, like a shield, toward the girl “I, uhmm, just went back from Glasgow... and Yorkshire, and Hamilton, and Canterbury, and London before of it... really, you sent me here and there, all around between the Scotland and England, in the next two days I'll receive the last informations that I (you) requested" he said, handing out to her a big red envelop "you know... since I was near Bowmore (and knowing of your love for the good scotch whiskey) I thought it was a good thing to buy a special gift for you and... while I was walking back home... I decided it was a good idea to come here, give you an 'hi', giving you my present and... maybe, drink something with you?” he winked. She snorted “God, Nath, what's with that attitude?” she asked wih mirth.

 

The red-haired man blushed a little “I... might or might not, have read those books that Marinette gave me for my birthday-” “No, don't tell me that you...” asked Chloé with wide eyes, while a devious smirk appeared on her face. Nathanaël chuckled “Yeah, sorry, I... took inspiration from the character of the last book...” she walked forward, stopping near him “And... that 'drunk' line?” he blushed a bit more “Y-yeah, that one was on the book too” he confessed.

 

The blond journalist giggled, lightly bumping her elbow with his “Come on, hopeless tomato... I'm still fascinated by your attitude. How can you be so serious in your role of private detective, but be so shy with your friends?” she mocked him, taking the bottle and walking to the corner-bar, taking out two glasses for the scotch: one normal and the other glittery pink. The man chuckled “I'm still amazed by you, too..." Chloé gave him a questioning eyes and he continued "how can you be so cold to the world, but still be like a marshmallow for the ones that you care?... Isn't that glass a bit too... childish?” he asked, jokingly strengthening his point. Chloé made a fake pout “How you dare! This glass is sooo fashionable... and elegant... and glitter...” they both started to laugh like crazy people.

 

She filled the glasses and gave the normal one to the red-haired man “Cheers... to our friends that can make us blush and melt, like hopeless marshmallows” she winked and they started to chat.

 

°-°-°-°-°-°

 

Nino was still in the gym.

 

After lunch he went out for little commissions, like buying new sets of underclothing and different kind of outfit for different situations. He still didn't knew which kind of events, his future client, must to attend, but being ready to fit in a casual or in an elegant clothes (for not stealing too much attentions) was always a good idea. Normally, when he started to get an idea of what kind of life, his client had, he was ready to follow the lead (sometimes, when he weren't sure of the kind of outfits, he had asked to Marinette, for good advices, or an actual help, like... a fitting new cloth made by her). _'Maybe this time, if we really start to work for the same person, choosing my outfit will not be so difficult, since it's her to choose them!'_ he thought happily.

 

In the late evening, he went back to the gym, for having another hour or two (since Chloé said that she will be late for their appointment) of exercises.

 

He just finished his set of lifts with the hand weights, and closed his _easy schedule_ , when he saw the time on the clock-wall. _'Oh, crap! I'm gonna be late! Sure, time fly when you have fun...'_ he thought while darting to the locker-room. He took out his big towel and his soaps, for a very quick shower. In almost fifteen minutes, he was ready to go.

 

He ran through the streets, starting to slowing down, when he saw the lights of _The Miraculous_. When he entered, he was immediately welcomed by a young cheerful girl. Her long mahogany hair reflected little shades of purple colors, while tied in two low pigtails and her eyes were covered with lavender contact lens. Nino didn't flinch by her appearance; he had already been there so many times before, to perfectly knowing about the girl's personality: she was really extroverted and friendly, she really loved her work and was funnily little crazy about herself, that she often changed her eyes and hair colour, based on her emotions.

 

“Welcome to _The Miraculous_ , Nino. I'm Nooroo, but you already know, right?” she chirped, giving him a little nudge of complicity “... Marinette is waiting for you at your table, follow me” she said, starting to walk through the Café, almost toddling.

 

°-°-°-°-°-°

 

Marinette was the first to arrive. She sat at their table and started to read one of her favourite books. Almost ten minutes later, the red-haired waitress came for taking her orders “Sorry, Mari, this evening is really crowded, hope you are not upset-” “Don't panic, Tikki, I'm fine, thank you for your concern... I can see from myself that you are all quite busy, today” the girl smiled, giving to her a sweet look “Awww, if only all (or, at least, the most!) of our customers were like you...” Marinette snickered “Then, you wouldn't have a place to work anymore, since, because of my clumsiness, I already broke two plates and four glasses this last year!” “Those were incidents, plus, you really improved from four years ago... the first time you came here, you tripped on the air and made an entire table to fly” “Ugh, please don't make me remember that!” she said hiding her face in her hands.

 

“Anyway, like I just said, from that time on, you improved... Master Fu is really proud of you and, like he said: even the clumsy persons have the rights to go in the Cafés” she snickered, while Marinette's face emerged again from her palms, peeking between her fingers “... still embarassing... and sorry for myself being... me...” Tikki took out her block-notes “Come on, now, what do you want, today?” she winked to her.

 

Marinette smiled “I really need one of yours big cup of hot sweet fruity tea... the black one... and one portion of 'Green Whiskers', please” the red-haired girl nodded, while noting all in her little block-notes “One 'Black Fruity Blanket' and one 'Green Whiskers'... are you happy today? You choose this kind of combinations when you are feeling really good” she smirked to the dark-haired girl.

 

Marinette nodded with excitement in her eyes “Yeah, I can't wait to tell the news to my friends!” in that moment a cheerful girl, younger than Tikki, with lavender eyes, came to her table, motioning to the dark-skinned guy behind her to sit “Your table, Nino! Hi, Mari! Tikki, I need to go, take his orders too, thanks, bye!” and she 'flew' away. After a few seconds of stunned silence, they all started to laugh. Tikki was the first to talk “Okay, Nino, sorry for Nooroo's attitude... what do you want?” the guy motioned to Marinette “Same as her” “but you have no idea of what I choose” replied the dark-haired girl. Nino shrugged “It's okay... I love the 'unknown'... and I love surprises” and winked receiving a couple of rolling-eyes from his best friend and the waitress.

 

They sat together and started to talk about their past days. Marinette waited to announce her big news, she wanted to said it, while they were all there: she, Nino and Chloé. Meanwhile, the dark-skinned guy had started to talk about something that happened that same morning “... I swear, I wasn't sure of... how to tell her that I wasn't disappointed about what she done, but more... worried about her behavior... trust me, Mari, she was a real force! She shouted to that big guy in his face! She didn't flinch... even when he shoved her on the wall... I was... shocked by her courage and fierceness... even if, I still think, it was stupid and stubborn from her side...-” “Seems like this girl really impressed you” she said with mirth in her tone, wiggling her eyebrows in mischievous way. He snorted “well... yeah, I must admit, that... she was really beautiful... I dare to say... stunning... and the way she clearly said how much she hate the cheaters...” Marinette caressed his hand tenderly, seeing the gloomy look on her friend's face “hey... it was many years ago... don't let her give you any more trouble!”

 

Nino shrugged “I don't care of her... not anymore... I'm no more hurt by her, but... I must admit that, sometimes... it's difficult to completely open up to another person, without fearing any kind of... 'surprises'...” Marinette nodded and gave him a kind, warming, smile. “But, hey! I thought you had big news. What's going on? I mean, Chat Noir apart, is strange that you were so much... 'excited' for something that is not about your work or designs... unless... it **is** something about-” “I'll not say anything until Chloé will be here!” she firmly said.

 

“Well, this mean that the waiting is done!” said a cheerful voice from behind them.

 

“Nath!” they both exclaimed, turning on their chairs and standing up for greeting him “Dude! How long is that we don't see?” asked Nino, giving him a friendly pat on his shoulder “Mari, Nino! It's almost eight weeks, I think” he replied with a smile, returning the friendly gesture to the dark-skinned guy and giving a kind hug to the dark-haired girl “I was hoping to come back earlier, but Chloé asked me a favor, so I-” “But now he's here with us, right? So enjoy of his company!” the blonde girl said, interrupting, from behind him, giving to the red-haired guy a warning look like: _don't you dare to say a thing!_. They sat at their table, starting to chat with each other.

 

“Well, anyway, I'm going to stay here shortly: a client of mine asked to follow her husband and so, I need to depart in two weeks” said the red-haired guy, taking a brief look to the menu. Nino whistled “Uhuh-hu, another divorce at the horizon?” Nathanaël shook his head “not for now, but if he's really cheating on her... well, sadly, we know pretty well how this things goes...” “Even if, it mean that there'll be more work for you, and so, more incoming cash” the blonde said, shifting on her seat at the table “You! You are a monster!” said jokingly Nino, indicating her face with his index finger. She scoffed, letting her hair to fall on her back, and lightly slapping the guy's hand “well, if that man was so stupid to start another relationship without thinking on the consequences... he deserve it!” she said, as a matter of fact.

 

They went on, with their friendly talk, for almost an hour.

 

Then, a thought hit Nino like a bullet “Wait, if you go away in two weeks, that mean-” “Yes, I still don't want to see him!” Nathanaël interjected him on his question. Chloé's smirk faded “Oh... Nath, I... I didn't thought of it... sorry, Nath, it was really rude of me-” the red-haired guy interrupted her, too “Can you please stop to talk about it?” the silence fell in an instant “I hate him and I'll never forgive him for what he did to...” he stopped on his talk, raising his eyes on the empty seat in front of him. The other two, looked at the same spot at the realization. “Oh, no... I didn't meant... ugh! I'm such an idiot...” Nino said, hiding his face in his hands “I... I'm going to-” “No” the red-haired guy interrupted him “ **I** 'll go to find her... I think to know quite well how she feel about... this... even if, this make me feel angry and worried at the same time...” he looked at the other two “We'll come back soon, I promise” he said, standing up and started to search for a certain dark-haired girl.

 

°-°-°-°-°-°

 

When he found her, she was at the counter bar, sitting on the high wooden bar stool, fiddling with her hands, mindlessly. He approached her from the side, not really sure how to start that awkward and difficult conversation. Then, he opted for the straight way, giving a tight grip at her hands with his “Mari...” he started, but she turned on him, with her sadly eyes and her bitten lips from the nervousness “No, Nath, I... I'm sorry, I... it was really unfair, from me, to go away like that, but...” she bit her lips again, like they were not enough swollen from all the previous 'torture', and lowered her gaze on the wood of the counter. The young man chuckled in sarcastic way “Unfair? Marinette, really? Unfair? You! You, that went through all of that... **hell**!” he said, strengthening his grip on her hands.

 

The motion made her jump a little on the spot. The red-haired guy went on with his speech “It's me... me, that have to say: **sorry**! I was there, Mari... I was there, but I didn't saw it!” she shook her head vigorously “It wasn't your fault, Nathanaël, he was acting completely normal around you-” “That's not an excuse!” he interrupted her, raising his voice, without disturbing all the other customers “... Marinette, I'm... I'm well aware of what you are thinking, but you have to trust me, okay? That... all of that... I'm not blaming you and I'll never do it....” he sighed, relaxing a little, releasing her hands from the strong grip “You are one of my most important friends... no, you are more of it. You are a sister to me. Like Nino is a brother and Chloé... well, I'm sure that she's something to me, but, luckily, not a sister” he winked to her and Marinette let a little giggle to came out from her lips.

 

 _'There is it... that beautiful smile that made me fell in love with her, in school's times... time sure is passed'_ he kindly thought, remembering the old times, when they were more young, romantically in love, and ignorants about the cruelity and the bad jokes of the world. He smiled to her too and then, became serious again “What I want to say, Mari, is that... I'll never forgive him for what he did... to **you**... and the other unlucky ones... I know that it's already three years and he asked to meet me for his birthday every time, but... he's no more my brother... I have my own family, even if we are not related by blood” he smiled again to her, cupping her cheeks with his hands “... so thank you, Marinette: for your concern and worries. But that was a worst nightmare for you, and I stopped to love him in the moment that I knew what he done... I don't feel anything anymore for that man... but I still love **you** , my wonderful, sweet, loyal sister” he said, kissing her cheek lovingly.

 

The young woman smiled kindly at his words and kissed his cheek too, squeezing his hands in hers “Thank you, Nathanaël... I love you too” he giggled _'What I would have given, back there, for her to say something like that to me... without fearing rejections...'_ he released her and motioned to the location of their friends “Yup, yup, now that we know about our feelings, what do you think? Can we go back to the other two?” she stood up from the chair, holding his hand with her left one “sure, before they eat each other alive” she smirked, pulling him with her.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... now you are curious, right?  
>  You are?  
> I am! XD  
> What happened in the past? Angst? Of course! But WHAT and WHICH kind? We'll see it in the future chapters :P
> 
> *°*-*°*-*°* Images *°*-*°*-*°*  
> The USB pen drives in the pendant are like this (the only difference is that there is a bee on it XD) :  
> http://gadgether.walyou.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/usb-necklace-enigma.jpg  
> http://gadgether.walyou.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/usb-necklace-labyrinth.jpg
> 
> This is the Scotch Whisky that Nathanaël brought to Chloé (I searched this image, because I wanted -this- specific one, like a crazy person XD) :  
> https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/910/bowmore-12-year-old-bot1980s
> 
>  
> 
> Next releases (month/day/year):  
> \- Around 03/10/2017: 4th chapter of "About Pirates & Thieves - The legendary Ladybug and the notorious Chat Noir"  
> \- Around 03/25/2017: 6th chapter of "Running free and falling hopelessly"  
> \- Soon (like always, it's a surprise! XD): 5th chapter of "Lady's trick or Lucky treat? No, it's Halloween's Misunderstandings" (the second part of the past's chapter)  
> Maybe things will change, but (for now) my schedule is that.
> 
> Thanks for the support in my works!  
> See you soon!!!  
> (>w0)/***


	5. Chapter 05

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Here I am!
> 
> Really, the most of the times that I 'waste' with my stories are because of the edit/grammar corrections...  
> ... hope it's all right (T_T)
> 
> Anyway, here is the new chapter of 'Write of my soul, while I dress you'!
> 
> Happy reading!  
> (>w0)/***

They were still happily chatting, when Nino looked at the treats in front of the young designer “Hey, Mari! What are those?” he asked. The girl giggled looking at the gluttony expression on his eyes “Wanna try one? They are called 'Green Whiskers', its quite a simple treat. They are strips of lime caramelized and splashed with little grains of green sugar... they are delicious” she answered, biting another one. The boy extended his hand and took one of her treats, when he realized another thing “Wait, you wanted to tell us something great earlier today, right? Wasn't about 'big news' or something like that?”

 

The dark-haired girl nodded with a proudly expression on her face “Yup! I must to admit, today started really bad, with all the commissions and with a very hateful guy that founded every excuse for giving me creep” she said taking another sip from her drink and ignoring the subtle gaze that her friends exchanged with each other.

 

“Anyway, this evening, I was there with this stupid-guy, trying to fix his outfit, while he moved in every directions with his hands” she took another sip “when I finished, he started to ask me for a date. He was really insistent and I was **really** tempted to punch him in the face, model or not!” “You could have” whispered Chloé with a chuckle “Sadly I couldn't really do it” she goes on, ignoring the hilarous comment of her friend “but suddenly! Someone came at my rescue! Guess who?” she teased them.

 

“Nino!” said jokingly Chloé, curling one of her blond locks between her long fingers.

 

“Your new boyfriend/girlfriend aka Chat Noir!” said Nathanaël with a smile, gaining very different kind of gazes.

 

“Gabriel Agreste!” said Nino, stealing another 'whisker' from her plate.

 

All of them raised their eyebrows (Marinette for another reason, of course) at his affirmation. The boy shifted his hands in a defending position “Hey! She said 'take a guess', I'm allowed to bet high, right? I wanted to say Batman, but it was too much of a cliché, Nath stole my idea of Chat Noir... that was the third name that went in my mind” he justified himself.

 

Chloé rolled her eyes “Yeah, but... Gabriel Agreste? I mean, really? If **that** guy decide to came down among us, simply mortals, that mean that the world is gonna end... or that _Fortuna_ , the goddess of fortune and personification of luck in Roman religion, if you ignorant folks didn't knew it...” Nathanaël chuckled at her affirmation, while she goes on “have decide to elect Marinette, like one of her Champions, for better rule her element in this world”

 

Marinette blushed a little at those words “Oh... sooo... I guess I need to take a token to my new Goddess and guide, right?...”

 

There was few seconds of silence before the voice of the blonde woman resonated through all the café “WHAAAAAT? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” “Chloé, please, calm yourself... lower your voice, we are still-” “Don't you dare to say me those craps, Marinette! We are talking about Gabriel _Freakin_ Agreste, here! Your big boss! **The** big boss of almost all Paris!” she exclaimed, bringing her voice down, but still audible for almost everyone. Nino snorted “Well, well, well... I think I won something, right?” he said, stealing the entire plate of 'whiskers' from Marinette's sight. Meanwhile, Nathanaël was fashinating by the rant of the blonde girl and commented “Come on, Chloé... he's not the boss of all Paris... only because he's rich like a king, decide almost all lifes and deaths of the fashion shows in this city (and maybe few others, too), have an exquisite taste in designs and fabrics, have deep knowledgement in management activities, have many connections with important people, like politicians, officers, judges and other, and.... you know what? Chloé has right: **that** Gabriel _Freaking_ Agreste?” he asked too, shifting his gaze to the dark-haired girl.

 

Marinette nodded, while her cheeks started to turn into a more darkest pink colour “Yeah, he... he came in my 'rescue' and then... he offered me the job of my dreams?”

 

They stood in silence for another few seconds. This time it was Nino who first commented “... wait... are you saying us, that he offered to sponsor your personal brand?” Marinette shook her head furiously “Oh, my God, no, no, of course! I mean... not **that** dream... if he really had proposed me something like **that**... then I'll be dead from the joy at this time”

 

“Point taken” commented in giggles the blonde girl.

 

“No, he... he asked me to work... for him...” and she hid her face behind her hands, starting to giggling like a teenage girl. They all looked at her with confusing eyes. It was Nino the first to talk “Uhmm... Mari, dear... I'm sorry to blow up your big bubble of joy, but... you already work for him...” the other two nodded, still looking worriedly to their friend. But Marinette shook her head and raised her face from the hiding spot “No, no, you didn't understood! He gave me the opportunity to work with him... like... in the inner studios of the building!” she took out a single key, attached to an elegant silver keychain, with a letter pendant hanging from the ring. The letter was a coursive 'A' with a number embroided on the back of the pendant (probably the number of the office) “... from today on, I have a week for decide to work there, in the special section... basically, you are talking with the new 'personal-purchase' of Mr. Gabriel Agreste... he asked me to work with him with this new project an-OUFH!”

 

She was nearly smashed on the floor (and she literally almost fell from the chair) by a big, warming, hug and all that she could see was only a big mass of blond hair “I'm SO happy for you, Mari!” Chloé shouted, tightening her grip on the dark-haired girl “You deserve this and more! I knew that you could do it! You are incredible, girl!” she goes on with more sweet praises and more tight hugs.

 

It was unusual to see Chloé acting like that, but, with the time, both Nino and Nathanaël, became quite used to those kind of shows. The blonde was, almost always, cold and indifferent to the most of the things that happened around her. She wasn't really the type of woman that let her feelings out. But, with Marinette? She was another person. The dark-haired girl was the only one really able to bring that, shy, sweet side of Chloé outside without problems.

 

“Wait!” all of a sudden, the blond shouted again, raising herself from the poor, crushed, Marinette “What about...” she lowered her voice, now quite conscious of the place where they were “... what about Chat? Didn't you wanted to work with him?” “Or her?” added Nathanaël, but the blond hushed him with a wave of hand “Whatever! Mari... you really want to give up at that incredible opportunity?... I mean, this” she pointed to the silver key in Marinette's hand “it's a wonderful opportunity too, but... what about the mistery? I know you pretty well, at this point, and I know that you are dying to know who is Chat-Great-Noir, at this point... right?”

 

The girl smiled at the concerned expression on Chloé's face and she felt a surge of affection for the blonde in front of her “Oh, Chloé... you seem like the queen of Ice Land, but you really are the queen of Honeyland...” the woman scoffed at her friend's affirmation and waved her hand in the air, like what she said wasn't that important to be considered... kind, from her. “I'm only curious, that's all” and so, the serious and cynical Chloé came back to her place, sitting gracefully on her chair, taking another sip of her drink, like she didn't just tackled her best friend in a series of hugging and sugar-praises.

 

“Well, now that Chloé said that... I'm curious too? We are not going to work together, anymore?” asked Nino, raising one of his eyebrows, while taking another 'whisker' from, now his, plate and chewing it.

 

“Actually... that's the only part that got me **really** unprepared” the young woman admitted, while putting her precious new key, inside her purse again “what do you mean?” asked curious Nath, motioning forward with his upperbody, like he was ready to share a big secret “well, he... he already knew about Chat... I mean, I didn't said anything, of course! I only talked with you two... and with you, Nath, today... but you are a different story” the man chuckled “Oh, well, thank you, then”

 

The blond woman lowered her drink on the table and looked at Marinette with serious eyes “He already knew?” she asked for confirmation and her friend nodded in silence. “He said that he knew and that I... would be crazy to say 'no' to an offer like that... really, litterally quoting, he said 'I think it's a very unique and good opportunity for a talented designer like you. So, I hope you'll accept the job, the moment they give it to you'” she said, motioning her fingers in the air, mimiking the quote.

 

Nino smiled happily “Well, but this is wonderful, right? I mean, who can say to have such a fortune in her/his life, like you? Damn, dude! Congratulation!” he said raising his drink to her. She smiled kindly and raised her glass too “Yeah... I suppose you have right” “Congratulation!” added Nathanaël, joining the cheers. They stopped middle action, while looking at the blond journalist that was looking intensely at a certain, undefined, spot of the table. When she realised that they were all looking at her, she put on a cheerful smile, raising her drink too, and looking with kindness at Marinette “Congratulation, honey... can't wait to see your name on the biggest list of the fashion world” she said with sincerity.

 

From then on, they continued to chat about everything, from the silliest things, to the more stressful ones.

 

Nonetheless, Chloé's mind kept going on, with different and worried kind of thoughts _'Of course I'm happy for her. Jesus, I have complete trust in Marinette's abilities... anyway... my journalist side, is telling me to not accept every gift from the skies, like a bless... moreover, my 'b*tch-senses' are tingling... there's something more, behind... and I'm sure that Gabriel Frightening Agreste, is plotting something more, other than a simple 'search for talent designers' thing... but what? What he's thinking, now?'_ she gave a quick look to her left side and her eyes met another ones of a certain tall red-haired man. He didn't said anything, but he subtly nodded to her with a wink, before turning his attention on the other friends again.

 

Chloé smiled to herself _'Sweet... Nath already know what to do...'_

 

°-°-°-°-°-°

 

Alya took out the keys and opened the door of her apartment.

 

She went inside, threw away her shoes, and started to walk bare feet to the living room. She laid her big purse on the couch, following it with all her body, on that soft surface. _'That idiot! He ruined everything, now if I want to follow them I need to be even more cautious'_ she grunted in her mind, taking out the small digital camera from her purse. She sat straight, while opening her laptop on the large tea-table and connecting the aforementioned device to it. She took out a little box filled with important informations and connected that too. She pushed a button and all the photos were transferred on the external memory.

 

She let out a little sigh, while giving a quick look at the instant ice pack that was peeking out from her purse. _'He seems like a real caring person...'_ she thought to herself, while a smile started to surface from the memory of that same morning _'he said that he was by my side, but that I still acted bad... well, not that he was completely wrong, there... I was only irritated, because my cover went out, thanks to that big idiot!'_

 

She took the ice pack and wrapped it in a little plastic bag, closing it with a random purple ribbon that were wandering in her kitchen (maybe, she was a crazy-perfect organiser and planner, but her home was always a mess), before putting it in the freezer _'I know that this is not the right thing to do and that I'm supposed to throw it away, but... eh, I'm a sentimental girl...'_ she shook her head and darted again to the wooden table, where her laptop were still working.

 

Her phone ringed and she rolled her eyes, immediately recognizing that specific ringtone, before answering “Hey, Nerd!” she chirped with mirth. A whispered grunt came from the other side of the call “Very funny, Alya! Can you stop, please, to give me weird nicknames?” said Adrien with a sigh “Sorry, handsome boy, you're struck with me... and I love you too much for stopping” she added giggling, while letting her back down, hitting the softness of her couch, laying completely on it.

 

“... listen, Alya... what are you gonna eat, tonight? I mean, have some... appointment for dinner?” came his voice almost shy. She snickered “Really, Noir? You need an invitation for coming here?” she asked with mirth in her voice. But the lack of response made her furrow her brows “Adrien?... Something happened?” there was few seconds of silence before he said “... I talked to my father... I mean...” she heard a big sigh from the other side of the call “I was nervous, for all this... thing! And... I looked again at those profiles and... okay, sorry, I was wrong to look at those papers again, but... the Dupain-Cheng's case made my blood to boil again and... I...” he sighed again “I ran into my father's office... well, more like I barged in... like... unannounced and really angry and-”

 

“Wait! Are you telling me that you went to his office-?” “Oh, no-no! I didn't barged in his office at the agency! I knew that he was at the first mansion, today, sooo...” he let his words to hang in the air, until they dissipated completely. Neither of two said anything for few seconds.

 

Alya sighed, covering her eyes with her left hand “Adrien... You went back to the Agreste's Mansion, only for argue with your father?” “... tecnically, this time, it was only me that shouted out loud on dad's face, while he simply adjusted the glasses on his nose and gave me a very articulated, unclear, answer before going on with his usual cliché... something like 'I have no idea of what are you taliking about' or 'Adrien, please, I raised you better than this, can you at least knock before entering?' or 'son, can you please wait after your interviews? I'm quite occupied, right now, and if you don't have a **real** issue or an **actual** problem with the people that are supposed to work for you, can you please behave and don't wrap your head before it's broken?'” there was another silently awkward moment, before he added “Sorry”

 

The red-haired girl let out a very worried sigh.

 

“That's not all, right?” she knowingly said, while facing the monitor of her laptop _'71%'_ she thought, while adding at the phone “So? At the end, what did he do or said, that made you regret your actions so much?” she asked firmly.

 

She sat up from her comfortable position and started to go to the guest room _'He's coming here for the dinner... so, surely, he'll end up to sleep here, at my place'_. After another little moment of silence, she said “Adrien? You're still there?” she heard different sounds of papers and rustling from the other side of the device: he was still there.

 

“He tricked me” he simply said.

 

“... care to explain?” she jokingly asked, reassured of reciving from her friend a little sound of snort “Yeah, sorry, so... in short, he said that he had no idea of what I was talking about, like I told you before... that he simply suggested the Dupain-Cheng girl, because she's really capable and surely she can match my tastes, but... since I was so against it, he said that maybe it was better to call her and inform her that this, and I litterally quote, _'unique offer, one of the kind it came, maybe, only once in a lifetime, for every emergent designer'_ , was no more valid and she couldn't do anything about it... so... he took the phone, raised the receiver, and started to call Nathalie and-”

 

“And you hang up by your own, closing his phone call even before he could speak to Nathalie” Alya concluded. There was no affirmation from him, but by the heavy silent that fell again from the other side, she knew that she was right _'Reverse psicology'_ she simply thought, while clearing her throat. “But, hey! Think like that: maybe he's right... I mean, maybe he really choose this girl for her talent and not for her... I don't know... spy-abilities? For his second purposes?” she said, hopefully thinking that those words were true.

 

He sighed defeated “I hope, too... sometimes he's just this... manipulative bastard, while other times (very rare!) he's... concernered enough about me, for thinking to my whishes... aaaah! I don't know! I mean... I know that he doesn't... hate me, okay? He's still my father and he, in his unique way, think of me, but... he's so... I mean, I know that he can be really professional on this things... mostly if is a matter of fashion and designs, but... ugh! I don't know Alya. I feel so conflicted inside... too many times I saw him manipulate my actions... my life!... without even knowing... he have his own way to do the things and... I'm scared, I admit it... I'm scared that he can play again for his own advantage and... I'm sick of it...”

 

Alya brought the device closer to her ear, like hoping that he could feel the warming care that she was irradiating for him in that moment “Adrien... it happened only one time-” “No, that's not true! And you know it, Alya!” she sighed with sadness “... but, the other times, you were conscious of your actions” she simply stated. There was a scoff in his voice “yeah, well... like I **really** had any kind of choice...”

 

They stood in silence for another few minutes, when a loudable _growl_ from Alya's stomach made her woke from her thoughts “Okay, so... you take the dinner and I finish to prepare your room for tonight?” she asked with a smile, trying to suppress all the bad feelings from before. He chuckled from the phone “deal”

 

Alya took out another big blanket from her closet and smiled even more at the thought of the nearest sleepover with her best friend “chinese?” she asked, thinking at their dinner. There was another second of speachless talk, before he grunted a little “uhmm... I... prefer something else... something that doesn't involve any kind of... chinese or asian in general or french cousine... if is it possible...” she rolled her eyes _'Such a child!'_ “Fine, big baby boy, does the greek or italy good enough for you?” she was sure that he was smirking right now “ _Purrr_ -fect! Thanks Alya!” she chuckled “And we really need to talk about your stupid puns! The editor found another one in your last book and he was not pleased by it. He was all 'I gave him a _free-pass_ , on his other book, because that was part of the character' and 'I'll not allow him to ruin his career and future stories because of his stupid sense of humor'”

 

“Ohw! Come _mwon_! I love puns! Why I'm not free to do it like I want?” Adrien whined from the other side of the phone “Because most of the people doesn't have your sense of joke, silly cat boy!” Alya replied with a smile “ **Still** , he didn't found my previous inner puns, and **still** the books were selled quite well... right?” she could even seen him, while jokingly wiggling his eyebrows in that silly way of his. “And since I'm a big-nerd, like you often call me, now, hiding puns like the _easter-eggs_ in the movies and games, is my new _mission_... uhuh, it's so funny!” he giggled with mirth.

 

“Hush! Don't say it out loud! Fortunately, no one ever found out and it's better like that... sincerely, if you didn't told me where they were, I could never find them by myself... and I knew that you hid them, so...” he chuckled “See? I'm smooth and sharp like a real cat... and I haven't fur or claws!”

 

Alya facepalmed herself “Please! Find something to eat and come here, before I find a way to turn you into a real cat and put you in a cage!” she snorted “ _Meowch_! Witch-Alya is scary! I'm on my way, the food will soon be there, bye!” and he closed the call.

 

She giggled to herself and came back to face the black screen of her laptop, that still was in her living room. She lightly moved the mouse and the screen light up “97%” Alya murmured, leaving her device alone, again. Then, she turned on her feet and moved to the kitchen, taking out a glass from the cupboard and filling it with sparkling water.

 

She thought at Adrien again. He went back to the main manor and it wasn't a good thing, for him, to go back to that place. That was why he lived in the summer mansion of the Agreste family. There was only him and few other male models of the Agreste's brand. No contacts with his father (well... almost), more freedom, no unpleasant eyes on him. Even from the few models that lived there: half of them were quite young, and didn't really knew about Adrien's past, while the other half... well, they were old and respectful enough to not disturb him. For Adrien it was like living in a college and he was happy like this.

 

Nonetheless, the relationship between the two men of the Agreste family still weren't very good, and Alya knew it well.

 

_'They both love each other, but they are not capable to express their feelings, like the normal people do. They are both such a thick heads and too proud to admit defeat that they can't even try to approach each other, or simply trying to talk, without fighting and arguing for every tiny little thing!' she sighed to herself 'I suppose that this is inevitable, since the loss of Adrien's mom... they both closed themselves in their own cocoons and never went out from then...'_

 

She took one last glance to her laptop, noticing that all the datas were transferred. She smirked a little “Well... time to work, again”

 

°-°-°-°-°-°

 

Chloé was tired. She was fighting to take her eyes open on the street, while riding her car. She felt the heaviness on her eyelids and the sleep were calling her.

 

At the fourth time that her eyes closed, she made up her mind.

 

She carefully slowed down and stopped the car on the nearest free spot.

 

She needed some rest and she needed it right now. She took her cellphone, dialing a very familiar number. After few rings, Nathanaël answered “Hey, Chloé. I thought you were on your way back for home-” “That's why I'm calling you!” she interrupted him “I'm nearly to faint in my car for the sleepyness, I need someone to take me and bring me home” there was a little pause at the other side of the call “... you know that I asked you just thirty minutes ago if you needed-” “Yes! And I was wrong! Sorry, okay? I thought I could do it, but no...” she sighed “I suppose that even the coffee can't help me now” she admitted, giving a quick look to the empty paper-glasses positioned under her passenger's seat.

 

She heard a soft chuckle coming from the guy “Give me the address, I'll be there soon as possible. Now, please, listen to me: close yourself in the car, lower your car's window and leave only a small opening for the air. Leave your cellphone free and with the ringtone at its highest volume. Try to not sleep until I come. Try, okay?” she nodded while yawing and, when she realised that he couldn't see her, she said “Okay, I'll send you the address... thank you Nath...”

 

Another chuckle, this time not muffled, followed by a mirthful affirmation “Oh, don't worry... I'll find a way for letting you repay me... I'm sure of it” he closed the call and she blushed a little. Sure, he **was** an insecure and shy guy, don't really talkative, and quite clumsy guy (not like Marinette, but he was close to her), but now... now he was no more cute... he was handsome... a very great private detective, caring friend and charming young man. She felt her cheeks starting to burn. What was wrong with her? At this point, it was a whole year of those strange feelings toward him.

 

She tried to not think of it... like always.

 

She sent the address, like promised, and done all the things that Nathanaël said to her.

 

_'Sometimes I wonder if he still feel something for Marinette'_ she mindlessly thought, wandering on the memories of those past years of school, when her best friend and the Tomato were a cute couple and she was still a distant observer. At those times she was attached to Sabrina, her only friend and... But then, the things had changed and she was all alone... again. She shivered at the memories and shook her head, trying to forget all the bad feelings.

 

It was so many years ago...

 

Now she was different. Now she was good. Now she had Marinette at her side. Now she had Nino, even if they didn't really had the same relationship of the two girls, she knew that she could always count on him. And... and she had Nathanaël. The red-haired guy always answered her calls. He always helped her in very different situations. He was often out of Paris, due to his frenetic work, but he was often around her, nonetheless... and whenever she needed him... he was there for her.

 

_'Nathanaël... the sweet, caring, tomato...'_

 

A sudden knock on the glass made her jump on her seat, while a pair of turquoise eyes met with her icy blue ones.

 

He smiled sweetly, stealing all the air from her lungs _'Damn, pretty boys! Why they have to transform in such breathtaking men? He want to kill me, there?'_ she unlocked the car and took out her phone, checking on the time. “What? Twenty minutes? I spaced out for twenty minutes?” she asked out loud. She heard him chuckle and she gave him a deathly icying glare “Don't you dare to laugh at me, understand?”

 

He quieted his giggles and gave her a kind look “Well, at least, seems like you didn't fell asleep... See, why I said that you needed a lift? Your brain is working at half of its normal speed, there” he opened wide the car door “come on, now: out. I'll drive, and you go to the passenger seat” Chloé grunted, but did as he said anyway.

 

When she was sitting again, she closed the door, and slumped with all her weight to the side, laying her head on the window. She closed her eyes, trying to recharge few energy, but when she felt that the car were still stopped, she opened them again and looked at the red-haired man beside her. “... What are you waiting for?” she asked, noting that he was staring at her all the time.

 

Nathanaël smirked deviously and moved toward her, brushing his body with hers. _'Okay, screw it, now I'm dead!'_ she closed her eyes in a quick motion, intaking the breath in her lungs for almost a minute. But when she felt again, the cold air between them, she slowing lifted her eyelids, trying to understand what had happen.

 

The stupid (and breathtaking) tomato, was still grinning to her, but his eyes were keeping travel between her ones and her lower part of the body. She followed the path and found out that he just added something to her “The seatbelt... or I'll not take you anywhere” he sing-songed. Chloé was still speachless and he gave her an amused look “What? Were you thinking of something else?” he closed the distance, again, stopping only few inches from her face, his mischievous smile still on him “You can tell me... or you can give me some hints... you know, I'm a great detective, and I love to do a good job...”

 

Chloé's eyes sparkled with some kind of realization before pushing an open hand on his face “Oh my God! I know this phrase, because Marinette pestered me with it for almost a month! You quoted that book again! You're impossible!” she stated, moving the guy on his seat again. Nonetheless, her blush were already there, on her cheeks and neck, and she turned completly, facing the outside of the car, hoping for him to not see the effect that he had on her. “Eh, I must to admit it, I liked it... since it was a story about a detective, I thought it was too much... fantasized and poorly realistic, but I found it quite endearing, instead: Chat Noir put great effort in his researches about this, well... my kind of job... he studied in details the mechanics of the laws and the real problems about what you can really do and what is... 'illegal'... things that, most of the times, people do in the fictions and movies... I mean, I appreciated it... and still he wrote a story really captivating, with characters rich of personality, funny and, sometimes, complicated...” he looked at the blond woman at his side and she was looking at him with an amused smile.

 

He felt his own cheeks on flame “Well, well, well... seems like Chat-Great-Noir captured someone elses heart... what a thief!” she smirked even more. Nathanaël took a wandering red locks with his fingers and put it behind his ear “uhmm... yeah, okay, eh... can we start to go?” he tried to change subject. He never was the kind of person that talked too much, but if it was something that he really liked, or concernered him, he was always quite talkative... and this side of him, even if he didn't really knew why, made him a bit shy around the others.

 

He started the engine, immediately putting his serious side on. Sometimes Chloé still wondered about his ability to change expressions or feelings, just by the necessities of the situations he was in, or when he simply read the mood around him _'That's my detective'_ she thought with a smile, facing the outside again, the sleepyness almost forgotten.

 

After few minutes of ride, Nathanaël cleared his throat “By the way, if you are not too much tired I would like to update you with an interesting call, that I recived just ten minutes before you called me... want to hear some news?” he said, while gently riding the car through the traffic. “I kind of lost the right moment for sleeping, so I think that I can talk some more before closing my eyes for a good rest” she nodded, turning her head, for stealing a quick look to his figure. She wasn't the kind of girl that was impressed only by looking at a man or a woman while they were riding. At the end, she knew how to drive too, and she was even quite good at it. But there was something fascinating about the red-haired man _'I mean, he's only looking at the street, Chloé, come on!'_ she thought. Her gaze still fixiated on his serious eyes, while he was trying to concentrate on the routes, looking for the right corner to take.

 

“The right one?” he asked all of a sudden and she quickly shifted her gaze on the street “W-what?” she heard him chuckling “I'm asking, if I need to take this route, on the right, or if is the next” he explained. “N-no, I mean, yes, the right one... is the right one...” there was only few seconds of silence “AH! Right, sorry, I was saying: I recived this call and it was my man from England. He found out something interesting...” he said.

 

Awkwardness forgotten, Chloé's curiosity suddenly take the lead “Tell me everything!” she said, giving him her completely attention. He started to tell “Like I was telling you before, I still have nothing more 'interesting' on _The Moth Industries - TMI_ _TM_ , but I found something else related to the building where you and the other have to met for the working interview. The one who rented it, now, is a certain Camille Dandelion, sister-in-law of a certain vicepresident of the _Gorilla &Buildings_: Régis Dumont-” “You already told me that, go to the calling part, please!” she said. The curiosity had completely awakened her. “I'm trying to tell you, but I needed to explain that part again, before going on with the matter” he sighed “You know for who, mr. Régis Dumont, worked before starting his own activity?” she shook her head, but when she realized that he couldn't saw her, she replied “No, who?”

 

Nathanaël smiled with an expression that Chloé wasn't sure how to read “Gabriel Agreste” he simply stated. A sudden bell started to ring in Chloé's head, like multiple pieces of a very messy puzzle were starting to match all together “I started to have my own intuitions, when my man called and, **that** , was the confirmation of my suspects” he licked his lips, like he was ready to share a tasty prey, instead of an information “Like you suggested, the _Lady Wifi Company & co._ was founded by an anonymous private backer, that gave only the money. All the legal issues are managed by the President and Vicepresident of the company” he drive around another corner, and then, goes on with his speech “Trying to find out something about this misterious and anonymous person, is really hard, I must to admit it, but... here is the point: this person seems like a complete stranger from all the kinds of papers or documents, but he needed some kind of _collateral_ , more for legal questions, for all the money that he was ready to gave... ready for the last hint?” Chloé grunted aloud by the tension that were devouring her from the inside “Jesus, Nath! Tell me, or I'm gonna strangle you!” she exploded.

 

The man chuckled with mirth and gave to her what she wanted “He had a very big collateral for his deposit: the Agreste Brand”

 

There was a moment of complete silence, where nor Nathanaël nor Chloé made a single sound. All of a sudden she made a ferocious shriek, that sounded more like a guttural growl from a predator animal. Nathanaël was so shocked, that he put on an incredible stunt for not making the car to crush against the veichle behind them, or with the lamppost at their side.

 

“What the h*ll, Chloé! We almost hit something, or worse, someone!” he scolded her. But the woman were no more listening. She was only looking, eyes wide open, at the street in front of her.

 

“ _but, suddenly, someone came at my rescue! Guess who?”_

 

Chloé bit deeply on her lower lip.

 

“ _... from today on, I have a week for decide to work there, in the special section... basically, you are tal_ _king with the new 'personal-purchase' of Mr. Gabriel Agreste... he asked me to work with him with this new project”_

 

She clenched her fists tight on her knees.

 

“ _He said that he knew and that I... would be crazy to say 'no' to an offer like that... really, litterally quoting, he said 'I think it's a very unique and good opportunity for a talented designer like you. So, I hope you'll accept the job, the moment they give it to you'”_

 

She couldn't stood silent for more, and she was ready to shout again.

 

Like sensing it, Nathanaël stopped on the first free spot that he saw. After shutting down the engine he looked at her “Okay, blondie... now you can do it”. Like being freed from years of cage, she took a big breath, and then... shouted.

 

“That... SON OF A B*TCH!”

 

°-°-°-°-°-°

 

“He trapped her, Nathanaël!” said almost shouting the blond woman.

 

“Okay, maybe _trapped_ , it's an heavy word... lets just say that he found something interesting about her and he want to be sure to have her on his side... okay, he basically trapped her, but it's not necessary a bad thing, right?” he asked, offering a shy smile to her.

 

Chloé rolled her eyes, while turning the key in the lock of her appartment's door. She entered and immediately run to the kitchen, taking out of the fridge a big pitcher of iced tea. She poured and filled two glasses, before gulping her own in one single sip. Nathanaël shook his head with a surrender smile _'There she go... now she'll not sleep for another one or two hours'_ he thought with concern, while closing the door behind him and following the blond into the room.

 

“Really, Chloé, I know that you are... we all are overprotective toward her. But really, she's an adult woman, she can make her own choices-” “Yeah, but this included the fact that she need to know things that, as a matter of fact, she don't know, right now!” scoffed her, filling another glass of tea.

 

“Take it slow, miss _I-love-tea_ , or you'll be filled with so much caffeine that you'll never sleep again” she chuckled and locked her eyes with him “There's no time for sleep... and even if _I-love-thee_ too, you'll not convince me, right now... I need to get something out of all of this, and the rest will not help me, right now” she said, finishing her second glass.

 

Nathanaël froze for an instant “... did you just... that was the quote from the fourth book: _Shakespeare's killing words_... so you read those!” she giggled “not really... but, like I already told you, Marinette repeated me those for almost a month, so I kind of learned them... I still think that the detective in that book was a real dork, I mean, how is it possible, for a man that do a job like that, to be such a pun-lover **and** such a flirt?”

 

“That's the beauty of the character, Chloé” said Nathanaël, taking his first sip of iced tea “... about this... do you think that Gabriel Agreste is... Chat Noir?” the girl sat in silence on the white marble's sink table “... I don't know... I'm not so sure about it... it seems too much... simple?” she asked to no one “moreover, I don't really see, a man like him, to write stuff like... _that_ ”

 

“well, the anonymacy can help about it. I mean, I already saw things like that: people that act in a certain way in the daylight, but that became someone else during the night... it's something more common than what you think” he declared, like a matter of fact.

 

“but still, this seems too much... I don't know... _called_? I mean, he could have simply asked her to do some kind of... side project, right? Everyone know what it mean to work for him, why calling her in the front side **and** from behind? It doesn't make sense. If he really wanted her for himself, without telling her who he was, he could have done in a more simple way... **and** , without calling her closest friends to work with her too!”

 

Nathanaël started to see what his friend was saying “so... the solutions are only two... one, he's Chat Noir and he like to play hide-and-seek, thrilled by the possibility of being found out, or two...-” he looked at her and Chloé nodded, concluding his deductions.

 

“He know who really is Chat Noir”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DAN-DAN-DAAAAAAN!!!! XD
> 
> I promise, from the next chapter, there will be (finally) the interviews! So, yes, Adrien will finally meet Nino, Chloé and... Marinette ;D  
>  _Little note:_ yes, the detective in the book of ChatNoir, that Nathanaël (and Marinette) have talked about, is a little dedication to another fanfic that I'm writing (but I still do not have posted)... of course is another MLB fanfic XD
> 
>  
> 
> **NEWS:** I've made a tumblr...  
>  I'm not really using it, right now, but I'm planning of doing something useful of it (^///^)  
> Anyway, here is the link... https://sundayisagoodday.tumblr.com/
> 
> **Next releases** (soon as possible):  
>  \- The 4th chapter of "About Pirates & Thieves - The legendary Ladybug and the notorious Chat Noir"  
> \- Something different... ;D
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks to all of you that: like, support, leave a comment, or simply read my works!  
>  **Thanks! <3 **  
> See you soon!!!  
> (>w0)/***


End file.
